Dragons and Hearts
by Mrs Charlie Weasley-thats me
Summary: This is the third and final instalment of my CharlieHermione trilogy.It is the sequel to Licking His Lip, and Twinkling Eyes and Cheshire Grins. What happens with Charlie and Hermione now? Who's Alin? Or Irena? Rated for mild language. Rating Might change
1. Arrival

**Here's chapter one...it will be a little wait until the update though...so don't give up:P**

**Remember: I'm looking for the author of... or the actual story "Red Silk" let me know if you know of it! Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: Only my idea...character's you recognize belong to JKR.**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------**

She knocked on the door. The tiny piece of parchment crumpled in her sweaty hands. She tucked a loose strand of curly hair behind her ear as she waited. The hot sun pouring in from the nearby window, heating up the hall. She heard a small scuffling behind the door and it opened. A tall girl with dark brown hair in large curls answered and smiled slightly at her. She was wearing a low cut green tank-top and a pair of shorts.

"Hi. Can I help you?"

"Oh…um…I must have the wrong address." Hermione said as she looked carefully at the piece of paper in her hand. She was sure it was right. "I'm sorry to bother you, I was looking for someone else."

"Oh…well they might live here then. Because I don't." Hermione turned as the girl spoke. "I'm Irena. Who are you looking for?"

"You don't live here?"

"No, I already said that." Irena said, annoyed that the girl hadn't answered her question. "I'm just visiting a uh…friend." She looked over her shoulder into the room and smiled. Hermione looked over the girls shoulder and saw Charlie coming down the stairs. He spotted her at the door as Irena turned back to face her. "Now, um, who are you?"

Tears sprang to Hermione's eyes and she turned on her heel, speeding off down the nearby stairs. She had to get out of the apartment. She was foolish to come. Her and Charlie had broken it off. Of course he would find someone else. It was Charlie. He was handsome and funny and….she heard him calling her name and fast heavy footsteps on the stairs behind her. As she reached the bottom floor she turned to the front door of the apartments. He called after her.

"Hermione…"


	2. Why?

**Ok, So I've been a little busy since school ended…and I haven't found the time or that really to write more…so I'm now back and making myself write while I still have ideas in my head! I guess I just find it hard to be inspired to write, when I don't have other homework to do. :) **

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters you recognize. Nor do I own Irena, she's my friend…. But I don't own her. **

**IMPORTANT: Ok, I'm not a very good smut writer…so anyone out there who is good at writing smut, message me PLEASE!!! **

**OH and _Italics_ is Hermione thinking. **

**So without further ado… **

----------------------------------------------------------------

_Tears sprang to Hermione's eyes and she turned on her heel, speeding off down the nearby stairs. She had to get out of the apartment. She was foolish to come. Her and Charlie had broken it off. Of course he would find someone else. It was Charlie. He was handsome and funny and….she heard him calling her name and fast heavy footsteps on the stairs behind her. As she reached the bottom floor she turned to the front door of the apartments. He called after her._

"_Hermione…"_

She didn't turn. There was a crowd in front of the doors, so Hermione looked around quickly, and then slipped out the back alley door. As she burst into the bright, Romanian sun she heard Charlie call her name again. Her eyes were so watery that she could hardly see, but she could hear the door swing open behind her. Hermione was suddenly glad it was so hot out, she was already sweating, so the tear streaks on her face could be blamed on the sweat…she wouldn't let him know she was crying. But then…why did she run.

"Hermione…." His voice was a whisper, as though he was afraid that if he spoke too loud she'd disappear. She wiped her eyes and turned to face him. He was just as handsome as he had been at home, only with a darker tan... one that was clearly visible, considering he wasn't wearing a shirt. Obviously she had interrupted something upstairs.

"Charlie." She wondered if it sounded as bitter to him as it did to her.

"Hermione…" _Ok…_Hermione thought..._so he knows my name…is he going to say anything else?_ "W-What are you doing here?"

She sniffed. "Nothing. I don't know why I came, obviously it was a mistake." He flinched at her bitter tone. She didn't care. She turned to leave the alley but he stopped her, holding onto her arm. Even in the heat, she shivered under his touch.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming? Better yet, why didn't you write to me? At all? You've only written me once."

Hermione dropped her eyes. Actually, she had written him many letters, but she hadn't been able to send them. They were all letters of apology, her asking for him to forgive her foolishness, to take her back. Some how, none of them had felt right to send. So she only sent him one, and it lacked all emotion…so naturally, that's what she had gotten back from him. An emotionless letter. No '_love you_'s', no '_miss you_'s', nothing. That's why she had come, to talk to him face to face; maybe she could make things better.

"Hermione…?"

"Look Charlie I thought…" She thought back to the girl in the apartment… Eileen… Irene…. Irena… whatever the heck her name was! "Wrong. Obviously I thought wrong." She tried to leave but Charlie still clung to her arm.

"What the hell are you talking about? Thought wrong about what?"

Hermione sniffed again, although her temper was beginning to rise. "I came here…I came to…" She hung her head and whispered quietly. "Appologize."

"Appologize?" He quirked an eyebrow.

"I thought…I thought…"She looked at him hopefully but his face was un-readable. _Why the hell was he making this so difficult! _"I thought that maybe…"She took a deep breathe and spit the rest out in one breath, hoping she'd get through it all. "WeCouldGetBackTogetherAndMakeItWorkButObviouslyYou'veAlreadyMovedOnWithoutMeAndIDon'tBlameYouShe'sReallyPrettyYouDeserveHerSoI'mGoingToLeaveNowAndPretendIWasNeverHereNowLetMeGo!" Again she pulled away, only this time he let go of her arm, a bewildered look on his face as he tried to register everything she had just said.

_Stupid,stupid, STUPID!_ Hermione thought to herself. _Why had she come?_ Obviously Charlie moved on. _Why wouldn't he?_ It was almost a month since they had split up…_three weeks to be exact! _Now that she thought of it, why hadn't **she** moved on? '_Because you still love him'_ A voice said in the back of her head. She told the voice mentally to shut up. She couldn't love him anymore. It wasn't allowed. He had moved on. Now she had to go back to England, and explain to her boss why she wanted to transfer back. He was going to kill her!

"Hermione wait. Back up, slow down!! Now repeat everything you just said." He sped up again to catch up to her.

"No." Even as he came up beside her she didn't stop walking. He grabbed her arm again, keeping her in the alley.

"Wait, why is it too late?"

_My God what an idiot. She had told him a bunch of times why it was too late!_ Her temper flared. "Because Charlie! I went up to your apartment, I saw her. You're cheating on me!!" She turned again and took off into the crowded street. Charlie stayed on her heels.

"**Cheating** on you?? Ok, for starters…**we're** not dating! In case you forgot…**you** broke it off! **You** called it quits."

"Well maybe I don't want it to be quits anymore!" She called over her shoulder to him. He sped up and took step beside her.

"Hermione you can't just call it quits then say once you're lonely. '_Ok never mind, forget I said it, we're together now_'…It doesn't work that way."

"I never said I was lonely!"

"Then why are you here?"

_Damn….why WAS she here? _She didn't even know. "I don't know why I'm here…it was stupid to come. Now if you'd excuse me. I have to go find the Ministry office."

"Ministry office? Why?"

"I transferred here."

"You transferred here? Why?"

_Why were so many people asking her 'why' questions. And WHY didn't she know any of the answers._ "I **was** transferred here. I don't know why."

"You said you transferred here…as in you asked them to move you here. So why Hermione?"

_Why is it so crowded on the street? Why won't Charlie leave me alone now? I've made a big enough fool of myself! I've broken my heart enough for one day! Now why can't he leave? And why are there so many bloody people out!!??_. Hermione needed to get off the crowded street.

"Hermione..."

_Don't say it! _She scolded him mentally. She was going to explode at him if he said it. _Don't say it...don't ASK it..._ Hermione wondered how one little three-letter word was confusing her so much right now. She was a smart which...so how did this one word confuse her so much...and worst of all...Charlie was going to say it again. _Anytime he's going to say it. Oh Lord please don't let him ask me-_

"Why?"

She wheeled on him. That was it! She had it! She didn't know. _Or did she? _She honestly didn't know. The words just seemed to come out on their own!

"Because I still love you! That's why! But you're going out with some dark haired vixen now and I don't stand a chance! So THAT'S WHY I came back! THAT'S WHY it was a mistake Charlie. And THAT'S WHY I have to leave now!" People were staring. She didn't care. Let them stare. They stare at pictures of Hermione in the prophet anyways when her and Harry and Ron are in it. So let them stare now. Why not!

Charlie had stopped walking. Hermione didn't. She refused to. She had said what she wanted to say, and made a fool out of herself in the process. _What's new?_ She knew she couldn't get relocated again this early…so she'd have to sit it out for a couple weeks in Romania. She just wouldn't go out places so she wouldn't risk seeing Charlie.

"Hermione! Hermione??" She could hear him calling her, so she ducked into a nearby alley. She'd hide out there until he passed, then make a quick dash, find the ministry, and hide out in her new office.

_Why don't you just turn around and let him explain. _There was that voice again. She was really getting mad at that voice. "I can't." she sobbed quietly. She'd ruined it with Charlie. And now he had a ho- um…Girlfriend…. waiting for him at his apartment. _Smarten up Hermione! He moved on. You should try to too. Just get to work and occupy yourself!! If that's what you really want._ Hermione didn't know what she wanted, but she stood and pushed forward, out back into the sun.

_That's it! You can do this! _At least the annoying voice was encouraging. _Who cares if you never see the man you love again? Who cares if he has more to explain! You don't need to hear it! He was only the best thing that's happened to you in a long time. You ruined it anyways. _So much for the encouraging part.

_You're a smart which! You don't need a boy like that in your life! He cheated on you...in a way. _

_You know you two really weren't going out right?_

_We were just taking a break._

_In the English language, that pretty much means you're free to see other people._

_No it doesn't!_

_Yes it does!_

_No! _

_Yes!_

_Great. Now she's mentally arguing with herself! It must be the heat._

_No. It's you. Because you know you screwed everything up, so arguing with, and yelling at, yourself makes you think it's better-_

_SHUT UP!_

She shook her head to rid it of those pesky voices, and then pulled out the directions her prior boss had given her. She wound her way through the streets, searching for the Romanian Ministry of Magic entrance.

_Charlie would know. You should go back and talk to him. Let him explain, while he leads you to the Ministry._

_No!_

_You really should let him explain!_

_There's nothing for him to explain! He cheated on me!_

_But you broke it off with him three weeks earlier._

"Shut up up there!" A passerby gave Hermione an odd look. She ignored him. She had a job to get to.

So she had been transferred to Romania. Charlie was in Romania. But she was Hermione Jane Granger, Top of her class Gryffindor, and member of the Golden Trio she wasn't going to let some boy get in her way…

_Not even a very very handsome, built, funny, young man like Charlie Weasley. _

_SHUT UP! _

--------------------------------------

As she entered the Ministry, she hummed to herself. At least it kept the voices quiet. The friendly clerk pointed her in the direction of her new office, and Hermione climbed aboard the small elevator. As it began to close a young man with short curly black hair dashed over and squeezed on. He hit a button half way up the elevator and stepped back beside Hermione. Hrmione couldn't help noticing how good looking he was. He looked at her sideways and she smiled at him in greeting. She could tell he was curious.

"Buna ziua" He said holding out his hand. "Numele meu este Alin"

"Uh…" Hermione knew she should have touched up on more Romanian…but she was a little preoccupied before coming.

_Yea thinking of Charlie _

_SHUT UP!_

"Hi. I'm Hermione Granger. D-Do you speak English?"

He laughed. "I didn't think you looked Romanian. Yes I spent 10 years in America, so I speak a lot of English." He smiled at her. "I'm Alin. And you're new."

"Yes, how could you tell?" She laughed. He was kind of cute.

_YES cute! CUTE GUY ALERT! CUTE GUY ALERT!!! GO FOR IT! _Her brain scolded her.

_But Charlie- _

_Is obviously over you. _

_Gee thanks. _

_What? I'm you. You're telling yourself that. _

_Yea but you don't have to rub it in. _

_Stop talking to yourself! Talk to him! He's just looking at you. _

_Oh no, do I make a face when I talk to myself?? _

_TALK TO HIM!_

"So." She said, unsure what to say next. "Do you work here?"

_Smooth Hermione…smooooooooth. _

He smiled. "No. I just came here randomly today, I'm going to hijack the place. Take it over. Kill all the worthless employees. Use it for world domination. I've been planning it for months. Don't tell anyone though."

Hermione blink.

"I'm kidding."

_Ohhhhhhhh_ she laughed nervously. "Right." She could have slapped herself.

"I work in the Animal Protection Departent"

_Ooooh! That's where I transferred! _

_I know that. Don't tell me! Tell him!!!_

"I just transferred there."

"I know."

"How do you know?"

"I hired you?"

"You did?"

"Yes. Alin Rickmond. A. Rickmond. Head of the Department."

_SHIT!_

"Oh. It's…it's nice to meet you Mr.Rickmond…" This wasn't the first impression she wanted to make on her new BOSS! "I'm honoured to have gotten the job. I won't let you down. I'm an extremely hard worker I-"

"Hermione."

"Yes?"

"This is where we get off."

"Ohh! Right. Sorry sir. I just…"

_Good grief he looks only slightly older than me! And he's head of the department! I used to be Head of my Department. But then I transferred here. _

"Hermione."

"Yes sir?"

"Relax." He showed her to her office. It was beautiful. "Breath…I used to be like that. And look at me now! Head of the Department, and I understand you were Head of your Department back home?"

"Yes sir I was."

"Good. You'll be a great asset."

_Asset! I bet I could run this place better than you._ She looked around at all the other neat little cubical offices. _Ok maybe not. Wait…cubicle offices? Why did she have a room?_

"Sir? Why do I have a room and not a cubicle?"

"I've heard great things about your talents Hermione. You'll be taking over for our Deputy Head. Miss Ranglish. Enjoy."

_Deputy Head! In one day! Now THAT was progress! _

"Thank you Mr. Rickmond sir!"

"Oh and Hermione."

"Yes sir?"

"Call me Alin." He sent her a dazzling smile before walking out the door. She sat down quickly before she fell.

_Ok HE'S cute. _

_So go for it! _

_He's my boss! _

_So. _

_Do you WANT to get me fired? _

_Do YOU want to get you fired? I am you. Remember? _

_Besides what about Charlie! _

_What about him! You haven't thought about him for like 5 minutes, that's impressive right now! _

_But Alin's my boss! _

_Who cares! _

_I do. _

_Do you? _

_Yes…I think I do… _

_Why?_

Hermione put her head in the palm of her hand. There was that blasted word again. _I don't know. _

-------------------------------------------

**Ok, so a little short….but good I hope. I was in a bad mood today…. stressed and all that, so I figured it'd be the perfect time to write. I can get lost in the story, make my reviewers happy (I hope) and get my mid off some stuff and make myself happy! **

**Oh and I know, it's a little angsty right now…don't worry, It'll get better!! I promise!!! **

**REMEMBER: If you can write smut, let me know!! I'm gonna need it for this story! **

**Hope you all like it! And I'm not going to bug people to review. I'm just going to remind you all that there is a little box at the bottom that will allow you to submit a review. You don't have to, but it would make me happy to see what you think of the story. You know it would really make me happy:D HINT HINT!!!**


	3. Coffee

**I'm really happy with what I wrote for the last chapter…so I feel like doing more:P And I just saw OotP yesterday…omg!! Definitely my favourite of the bunch! Although some of it could have been better!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize! OH and Irena's my friend…so I can make fun of her if I want:D**

----------------------------------------------------------

**IMPORTANT: I need a SMUT WRITER…contact me if you can write smut…I'll give you the credit!!**

----------------------------------------------------------

Hermione had been working at the Ministry for almost a week now. She had made new friends, and had written up two new laws she was hoping to pass. She had a pile of files that she needed to finish, but she wasn't too worried, she had already gone through most of them extremely quickly. However, she had stopped once she read the title on one.

_'Dragon Rights'_

As soon as Hermione had seen the title she stopped going through the piles. It hit her too close to home…it reminded her too much of Charlie.

_Why don't you go talk to him?_

_Because I can't. He won't want to see me._

_How do you know?_

_I just do ok!_

Hermione thought back to the time her and Charlie had spent in the park during their visit to her parents. She remembered being held in Charlie's arms. How good it felt. She shook her head.

_I HAVE to stop thinking about him!_

_Why?_

_Don't start that again. I don't need any more whys…_

Thankfully, a knock at her door interrupted her thoughts.

"Come in"

Alin pushed the door open. "Mornin' " He said.

Hermione had to smile. For a Head of Departments, Alin didn't mind using slang language… or perhaps it was just his English…maybe it wasn't too strong yet. None the less…it was cute.

_ANSWER HIM!_

"Oh! Hi!" There was that feeling of slapping herself again. It wouldn't have sounded **so** bad if she hadn't shouted it at him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

Awww…now he's apologizing 

"You didn't I just…umm…"

"Were distracted."

"Yea I guess you can say that." Hermione said looking back at the closed folder on her desk.

"Don't worry, my looks tend to do that to some people." He sent her a toothy smile and she chuckled. Not looking up from her folder.

_Must not look…Must… not…look…_

Alin coughed slightly. "How are the files coming along?"

"Good. I finished those ones over there." She pointed to a large pile of folders, still not looking

"Already?" She looked up slightly as he made his way over to the files and flipped through some of the top ones. "Wow Hermione, if you keep this pace up, they're going to get you to replace me." He laughed and she smiled slightly.

_They? Who are they?_

"Ah….I try." She looked up and smiled even more.

"I'm serious, you're speeding through these."

"Well I'm here all day."

"Yea I noticed, your secretary says you never go out for lunch…and you're here before her in the morning, and don't leave until after she does. How come?" He leaned against Hermione filing case, closing the file he was reading to look at her. It was the first serious look he had given her all week.

"No reason. Nothing really to do I guess. I don't really know many people here."

"So why did you transfer?"

_So I could make amends with my boyfriend. Hook back up with him. Be with him. _

"I don't really know. Just seeking an adventure I guess." She was still staring at the folder in front of her. She went to open it, saw the name on the inside paper, and shut it again. That's why she hadn't opened it sooner. She knew Charlie would have been behind the proposition, and she couldn't face him…or his name… right now. She continued staring at the outside of the folder, completely aware of Alins gaze on her.

"Is something wrong Hermione?"

"Hm? Oh no…I'm ok." She smiled at him, then continued to stare at the file.

"Do you need help with the file?"

"No. I'm good." _I think._

She felt him move beside her. He looked at the folder. "Dragon Rights? Those ones are easy." He picked up the stamp on her desk, stamped a 'rejected' onto the folder, and placed it in her completed pile.

She looked at him shocked. "You didn't even read it."

"They're all asking for the same thing Hermione. More space. We just don't have it. If we did we'd give it to them, but we don't." He sighed.

"Surely there must be **someplace** that we can expand."

"There's not." He turned to leave the office, stopping at the door. "Listen Hermione, don't beat yourself up about it ok. There's nothing else we can do for them."

She nodded in understanding.

"Hey listen. It's almost lunchtime. Since you don't really know the area, why don't I take you to the coffee place down the street? I'll show you around a bit. What do you say? Get you out of the office for a bit."

_Oh my gosh! Is he asking me out??_

_No…it's just a friendly lunch…date….ok maybe he is._

_Oh boy…what should I do._

_Say yes…_

_But…_

_Say YES._

"Yes." She smiled at him, then realized her answer didn't quite fit with his questions. "Yes I do believe that would be nice. Thank you Mr. Ri-" He gave her a look. "Alin. Thank you Alin."

"No problem Hermione. We'll say… 11:45?"

"Sounds good. I'll see you then."

"See you then. Oh, and don't work to hard." He sent her another one of those breathtaking smiles and walked back to his office. Hermione frowned slightly.

_What if I see Charlie? What will I say?_

_You don't have to say anything to him. Except maybe Hi._

_How am I going to explain why I'm in town with another man? _

_NEWSFLASH Hermione! You and Charlie are NOT going out! You broke up. You're free to go out with whomever you want. And obviously he feels the same way. That's why he's with that B Irena!_

_Right…I guess…_

Hermione smiled. _I have a lunch date!_

------------------------------------------

At 11:45 Alin appeared at Hermione's door. "Ready to go?"

"Just finishing up this file." She looked up at him as she spoke and smiled, turning back to the papers. About ten minutes later Hermione closed the file, stamped it and placed it neatly onto her pile. Alin laughed. Hermione jumped slightly, she forgot he was there… he had waited so patiently and quietly.

"You are such a perfectionist." Hermione shrugged at his remark and picked up her coat.

"Are we going or what?"

"After you," he stepped aside and let Hermione exit her office first.

_What a gentleman._

-------------------------------------------------

They went to a small coffee shop down the road from the Ministry. The whole walk to the coffee shop, Hermione kept glancing nervously around. She expected Charlie to appear instantly nearby.

_Would it be so bad if he appeared and saw you with this extremely good-looking, high employed man?_

_No…I guess not…but what if…maybe he says something?_

_Answer him._

_No I mean what if Charlie says something to Alin about us?_

_And I mean answer Alin…he just asked us a question._

Hermione looked up. Alin was looking at her expectantly. "Sorry, I didn't catch that Alin…what was it you said?"

He frowned. "Are you ok Hermione? You seem a little…distracted."

"I…I'm ok."

Alin was quiet for a few minutes. "Why did you come here really Hermione?"

"I told you. I'm seeking an adventure."

"I have **connections** Hermione. I can find out the truth somehow." He held the door for her and she walked into the small shop.

Hermione smiled at him slightly. "Is that a threat?"

"No. I'm just saying." They stepped up to the counter and ordered. Alin paid for both drinks and he and Hermione sat near one of the front windows. They were quiet, each in their own thoughts as they sipped their coffees. Hermione finally broke the silence while looking out the window.

"I came to make amends with my boy… **ex**-boyfriend." She turned back to face Alin and he nodded at her to show he knew what she was talking about. "We went out for about a month…and we broke it off three weeks ago. We planned that, next time he was home, we would work things out…but I came here, thinking we could work it out sooner." She was now staring intently at her coffee. "When I showed up at his apartment though…there was this….this….girl….she honestly looked like a….a…"

"Slut?"

Hermione's head shot up. _Was a **boss** allowed to talk like that?_

_Was an employee allowed to **date** her boss?_

"I guess you could say that. He tried to follow after me, wanted to know what I was doing here, but I left."

Alin let out a deep breath and Hermione turned back to look out the window.

"You don't need him then Hermione."

"Yea…yea I guess not." She gazed intently out the window then turned back to Alin smiling. "So how long do coffee breaks usually last?"

"I usually give an hour for lunch. But I already told your secretary I was going to show you around a bit when we were done…so she's not expecting us back."

-------------------------------------

When Hermione closed the door of her small rented apartment, she watched out the window as Alin made his way back home. He had walked her all the way to her apartment building.

_How sweet…_said that annoying voice sarcastically. Hermione had had a great time with Alin that day, but she had a weird, sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach that night when she went to bed.

_Could it perhaps have anything to do with the handsome young red-headed wizard you locked eyes with while looking out the coffee shop window earlier today?_

Hermione sighed and settled in for another long, sleepless night.

-----------------------------------------------

**Well thanks to all the reviewers! My internets on the fritz, so I have trouble getting on for a large period of time, so I'm not going to post reviewers here…but I'm going to try for the next chapter! So leave me a review!!**

**Also, remember…I NEED A SMUT WRITTER! Contact me!**


	4. The Day That Keeps Getting Better

**HEY!!! I'm ba-a-a-a-ck!! I LOVE how this story is going! And I LOVE the reviews I'm getting!!! THANKS GUYS!!!**

**Disclaimer: I own no one that you recognize. Irena is also my best friend, so I can make fun of her and all that as much as I want :P**

**------------------------------------------------------**

**IMPORTANT: Ok, I'm still looking for anyone else who wants to write smut. There may be a few times…so the more I get the better:D**

**-----------------------------------------------------------**

**OOH! You should read Erikandchristines story 100 Ways to ANNOY Voldemort. It's awesome!! Funny, suspenseful, and I'm in it. :P**

**-------------------------------------------------------------**

**ALSO IMPORTANT! (To me anyways): Does anyone know what happened to the story called 'Red Silk'. It was a Snape/Hermione one-shot. Rated M. They were like at a mall in a stairwell, anyways. I don't know what happened to it. I don't even know the author. So if you could let me know if you know anything about it! Thanks a lot.**

**------------------------------------------------------------------**

Hermione jerked slightly, opening her eyes and sitting up straighter. It had been three days since her 'date' with Alin, three days since she had seen Charlie through the coffee shop window…and three days since she had slept **at all**! Mind you, she already had trouble sleeping, since the break-up. She yawned.

_It wasn't a break-up…it was just a break_,

_Why are you still telling yourself that? It's over between you and Charlie...Alin and you are going out now…kinda._

Alin and Hermione went out everyday together for lunch. They laughed and talked and had a considerably good time. Yet, Hermione still couldn't stop thinking about Charlie!

_Pull yourself together WOMAN!_

Hermione sighed heavily, rubbing her temple. She had hardly gotten any work done. Five files in two days…compared to the usual nine files she did **per day** in her first week here. She just hadn't been up to working lately.

She heard a ruckus in the hall. She glanced at the clock on her wall, wondering if Alin had left yet for his meeting, if he had, she'd have to deal with whatever was going on. She sighed again and rose from her seat to see what it was, rubbing her temple again. "Now what…?"

She opened her door and stepped out of her room. She looked to the source of the noise; two men arguing a little ways down the hall…her mouth fell open.

"**I've submitted** a formal letter. I've submitted **many **formal letters! Most of which I've dropped off in person. For some reason though, I have a very strong feeling that you completely ignore them Rickmond!"

"Each letter we receive is read and judged, whether it should be rejected or allowed." Alin spoke in a calm voice as if this was a frequent conversation that he had memorized. Hermione glanced quickly at the clock on the wall; Alin was going to be late for his appointment. "We've been through this before, there is **no room! **Now, I'm going to be late for a meeting, so if you'd excuse me…" Alin moved down the hall towards Hermione and she tried to duck back into her office unnoticed.

"Hermione!"

_Damn_

"Yes Alin?" She stopped backing into her room and turned to face her boss. She could feel the new set of curious eyes on her, so she focused on Alin's angered face as he spoke.

"You have worked through most of the pile of files and letters we received. Correct?"

"Yes Alin I have."

"And was there not one on Dragon Rights?"

"Yes there was, you even pointed it out to me Alin."

"I did didn't I. I was still in your office when the file was completed, correct."

_Completed? If you mean when you stamped a 'Rejected' on it without even looking at it then yes._ "Correct."

Alin flashed her a smile as if to say 'Good job' and turned from her without another word. "So there you have it, right from both myself **and** our Deputy Head, the file was looked after and there is nothing more that we can do."

_Yea, looked at as in, 'Oh look, Dragon Rights' STAMP! REJECTED! _Hermione snorted slightly, but looked away fast as Alin's head snapped in her direction.

"Look Rickmond, there is no way you're telling me that there is **no where** we can-"

"No, there isn't." Alin grabbed his coat from his secretary's outstretched arm and spoke to Hermione. "Hermione, I'm going to need that file on the Pixies by tonight, I'm not sure if you've finished yet, but if you can make it a top priority please."

"Of course Alin. Good luck at the meeting."

Alin nodded in thanks and turned back to the male standing beside him looking at Hermione wth a mix of shock, awe, and anger. "Now I have a very important meeting that I'm already going to be late for. If you'd like to make an appointment with my secretary perhaps, we can talk about it at a **later** date." He gave his secretary a pointed look, turned and started making his way to the elevator. "If not, I suggest you leave now Weasley, there's nothing further we can do." He stepped onto the elevator and gave a curt nod to everyone. As the door started to slide shut, Charlie called after him.

"**Rickmond**. This isn't over, I don't mind waiting. **I **at least know that thisisanimportantmatter." He spoke faster as the door closed, then turned back to the secretary and Hermione. Hermione disappeared quickly back into her office, leaving the office door slightly open.

_What is HE doing here!_

She could here Alin's secretary at her desk talking. "Now Sir, I can book you an appointment to come back. Mr. Rickmond is busy for the next month, but perhaps…"

"No, Forget it, it's alright, I don't need to book an appointment with Rickmond." Hermione flinched at Charlie's bitter tone.

_At least he's leaving now._

"Sir…can I help you?" Why did that sound like Hermioe's secretary? "Now Sir I should probably make sure it's ok thatshecanseeyounow- and- that's it ignore me."

Hermione looked up as Charlie entered her office.

_Well this day just keeps getting better and better_ she thought bitterly. She could see her secretary in the doorway frowning apologetically at Hermione over Charlie's shoulder. "I'm sorry Ma'am, he insisted."

She sighed. "It's alright Dana, I'll deal with this." She nodded slightly and her secretary closed the office door.

_Wait what? Why did you close the door…did I tell you to close the door. WHY DID YOU CLOSE THE DOOR!!! I nodded, since when does a nod mean, 'please close the door so I can be shut in a room with my extremely handsome __**ex-boyfriend**__!!!??? SINCE WHEN!??_

Hermione looked back at the file on her desk about Pixie Problems….no, a Snargle Infestation…no she had finished that one…what was this file about again???

"So this is where you transferred?"

"Yes." She chirped out. Charlie smirked and Hermione coughed, taking on a serious tone. "You seem surprised."

"Well, I just assumed…when you said you were transferred…not many people get transferred to the same department."

"Well I was head of my department back home, so I guess they figured I had enough expertise. Now, what do you need?" She looked up at him expectantly, careful not to smile at the fact that Charlie was standing mere feet in front of her. One quick thought of the dark haired girl at his apartment, and all friendly thoughts of Charlie were gone.

Charlie looked taken aback at her bluntness. "Uh…So you chose to go from Department Head to Deputy Head?"

_Yes, that was fine when I thought I'd at least get to be with you again._ She chose not to answer him.

"Look, Hermione, about the last day we talked-"

"What do you **need** Cha- Mr. Weasley. I'm kind of busy."

The fact that Hermione had called him by his surname seemed to upset Charlie, well, upset him more then he was already. "The file on Dragon Rights…"

"Is already done." She looked back at her current file.

"Look Hermione…**Miss. Granger**" She flinched slightly. "Surely you must see my side of the argument that there is simply-"

"Mr.Weasley, there's nothing left that we can do. There's simply no room. We just don't have it. If we did we'd give it to you, but we don't."

_Déjà vu much? Now where did I hear that before? _

Charlie's face darkened considerably. "Well, you certainly didn't take long to adjust here. You sound just like everyone else. Did _**Alin**_ teach you to say that?"

_Yes._ "No. It's simply the facts. And even if Mr. Rickmond ha-"

"Oh, so **now** it's Mr.Rickmond… when he's around it's _**Alin. '**_Oh yes **_Alin_**.' 'Of course **_Alin_**.' 'Good luck at your meeting **_Alin_**.'" He spit the name out like it was one of Fred and George's sample jokes.

"I…" Hermione faltered. "This isn't what we're here to discuss. I'm sorry Cha- Mr. Weasley, but there's nothing more that we can do."

"You know Hermione I would think **you** would at least want to make things better around here. I know you well enough, I thought, to know you like helping people and animals who can't help themselves."

"Obviously you don't know me well enough."

"Obviously not. Because the Hermione I know would at least **talk **to me."

Hermione's temper flared. "You expect me to **talk** to you after what you did?!?!"

"After what I…What did **I** DO!?"

"What did you do? _What did you do??_ You know what forget it. We're not talking about this."

"Are we **ever** going to talk about this?" Charlie yelled at her.

"What's the point it's over."

"Oh so now it's over again. I mean it was over three weeks ago, but a week ago you said it was on, and now it's over again. Make up your **bloody mind** already!"

"I have. I told you, you blew it."

"**I** blew it!? **I** BLEW IT!?!?!? How the hell did **I** blow it!?!?!?"

Hermione walked around him fast, hissing at him as she went. "Because of that little Slut at your apartment. That's how. Now, get out." She flung the door open and stared angrily at him.

Charlie faltered, confused. "The little…**Irena???**"

"I don't care what her name is! Just go." Tears threatened to spill from Hermione's eyes.

"Look, Hermione. I really think we need to talk about this. Irena-"

"Out." She pointed out into the hall and her face darkened…she had to get him to leave before she started to cry.

He spoke softly. "Hermione please…"

"Out." She said it more forcefully, and the secretary looked up.

"I could call security ma'am. They've had experience with this one…" She jabbed a thumb at Charlie and Hermione quirked an eyebrow at him. "He seems to like coming up here and causing a commotion with Mr. Rickmond."

"Well _**Alin**_ and I aren't on too good of terms." Charlie said bitterly. He then turned to Hermione's secretary. "Don't bother, I'm leaving." He turned and walked past Hermione out the door. As he passed Alin's secretary he added, "Tell **Rickmond** I'll be back to talk with him."

She called after him as he stepped onto the elevator. "But you don't have an **appointment**!"

Charlie didn't hear her. He was gone.

"Are you alright Ma'am?" Hermione jumped slightly as her secretary spoke.

"Hm? Oh yes. Yes I'm fine Dana, thanks." She turned and walked into her office closing the door behind her, tears finally springing from her eyes. She slouched back in her chair.

_How dare he keep saying that __**girls**__ name in front of me like that! And why did he keep spitting Alin's name at me like that. Is he jealous?_

_Don't get your hopes up._

_Shut up. You know you are a part of me, you could at least be considerate towards my feelings. _

_What can I say, I guess everyone has an inner Slytherin in them._

_Shut up! Can't I even THINK in peace!_

_Sorry._

_What about this past between Charlie and Alin? What was up with that? How can I figure out what happened between them. There must be a way…_

_That's none of your business. Don't butt into Charlie and Alin's past. You have enough of Charlie's past haunting you already. Besides. Curiosity killed the cat._

_I'm not a cat._

_You were in second year._

_Shut up!_

Hermione looked over at the pile of completed files.

_How bad ARE the Dragon Rights? No animal should be treated too badly…_

Hermione stood and approached the files. She sifted through the top folders until she found the one she had been searching for. She set it in front of her on her desk and settled back to read.

_Maybe there's something we can do… _

_Are you dong this for the Dragons? Or for someone else?_

_There's always something…_

**-------------------------------------------------------**

**Well…thoughts?? How'd you like it? What do you guys think? Anything you really like, or really hate about a character?? Let me know!! REVIEW!**

**Thanks to all my awesome reviewers! (If you review – your name could be here next chapter!)**

**Snapehermionelover: Glad you liked it…I honestly didn't intend to make Alin so interesting :P**

**Lixa Levine: Nope…Hermione's being a bit…unreasonable.**

**I r e n ii : If Irena don't stop saying that,…there's gonna be NO Irena! I'll find a new girl to replace you:D**

**IceAngel89: I'm glad you caught the update before you left! I tried to post something else before you were gone! Have fun in Europe!! And I can't wait for your updates!**

**ruchie-smooch: you make me laugh sooooooo much!! That's why I love ya! I don't really know yet…. maybe he is maybe he isn't :P Having fun on Vacation you lucky duck!**

**jayne-ron-leo: Glad someone likes the fighting :P No one else has said anything and I wasn't sure if it was funny or annoying.…lol**

**Bookworm.Annie: D**

**kiwi-messer: Great! I just got to figure out what chapter the smut will come into :P I have a rough idea…but not quite… And yes your positivity bribing is working. :)**

**FredWeasleyLover1126 : Great! I'll let u know when I get a bit closer to the chapter!! Thanks a lot!**

**Erytha: Alrighty! Thanks a ton! I'll let you know too…glad you liked the chapter!**

**Journey: Glad you liked the previous two stories!! Hope you like this one too!**

**Unwrittenkhk3: Glad you like:) Smut writer…like M Rated…make out sessions. :P**

**Libaka: It's ok, I have a few offers:) I'm glad you like the story!! And yes…Alin's a bit…weird. :P –hug– **

**Christy: Thanks!! **

**Hotkat144: Glad you like it:)**

**Mimi The Witch: Glad you liked it!!! Yea, not a lot of people like Alin! LOL**

**Angela0085: Glad you like it! Don't worry, they'll be more Charlie soon!**

**Sesshomaruobsessed: I THINK I remember that episode….I only got hooked on F.R.I.E.N.D.S. after it ended. I got hooked on the repeats. LOL You know I never even thought of that. But that gives me the bestest idea ever! Why don't you like Alin? Or why do you kind of like him? I'll keep ya in mind for Smut writing. :) Thanks!**

**------------------------------------------------------**

**REMEMBER: If anyone knows what happened to the story 'Red Silk' that I mentioned at the beginning of this chapter. Let me know! THANKS!**

**_COMING UP:__ What's Hermione up to, will she help the Dragons? What about Hermione and Charlie? What about Alin and Charlie…What happened between them? How will Hermione find out? Oh and of course…will Charlie and Hermione EVER get back together?_**


	5. Long Day

**I'm on a role today:D Enjoy!**

**Still looking for the fic 'Red Silk'.**

**-------------------------------------------------**

Hermione sighed as the clock chimed 4:00. She had been working on this file for three hours straight. Actually **working** on it. Not staring at it like she did with the other files over the last three days. She had FINALLY finished it, and she had a new outlook. According to this file, the Dragon's were pretty bad off.

_There must be someplace we can expand._

As soon as Hermione had finished reading Charlies letters. Yes, letter_**s**_ – turns out he had written a lot – She had began pulling out different maps and folders that she discovered were located around her office. After calling Dana in a few times, Hermione had discovered that almost everything she needed was in her office, stashed away on a hidden shelf, or in one of the thought-to-be-empty drawers of her many filing cabinets. There was a knock at the door.

"Come in." Hermione looked up as Dana stepped through the door.

"Hello ma'am."

"Hi Dana. Really, please, stop calling me ma'am…I sound old." She smiled at the plump little woman in front of her. Dana must have been at least 30 years older than Hermione…maybe a few more. She spoke softly and kindly, and she reminded Hermione of Mrs. Weasley.

Great, even in the office I'm reminded of the Weasleys.

"Sorry miss. Um, about those files you asked for…"

"The previous landscape records? Yes what about them?"

"You'll have to ask Mr. Rickmond for them. They're kept confidential and in his office."

Hermione frowned, she had hoped to have this all worked out before Alin had returned. "Certainly as Deputy Head I am entitled to those files."

"That's what I told Mr. Rickmond's secretary, Camelia." Dana fidgeted. "But she says that she has to confirm it with him first. Our previous Deputy never asked for those files you see."

"I need those files Dana!"

"I know ma- uh, miss. I just can't get to them."

"Oh this is ridiculous." Hermione said throwing her quill onto the desk and rubbing at her eyes.

"I'm sorry miss." Dana looked terrified.

"Don't worry about it Dana, it's not your fault." Dana looked relieved. "How much longer do you suppose it will be until Ali- Mr. Rickmond returns?"

"I suppose not long miss. He's been gone for nearly three hours…"

"Yes, I suppose."

"With all due respect miss, have… have you finished that file on Pixies yet for Mr. Rickmond?"

"Sorry? What was that?"

"The file on Pixies. He needed them for tonight he said."

"Well he can wait." Hermione spat out. What was wrong with her? "I think that this is a bit more important than what problems the Pixies are causing."

"But ma'am…miss…"

"When Alin returns tell him I need to see him please Dana."

"Yes Miss." She backed out of the office quickly. Hermione thought briefly of a house elf. "Do you need anything else miss?"

"Yes, those landscape records."

Dana frowned, "I really am sorry miss."

"Forget about it Dana, that's all I need."

"A coffee perhaps? You look tired. I can get you a coffee."

"No, no. I can get my own coffee…but thank-you."

"Really miss it's no problem – "

"Good-bye Dana…"

"Sorry Miss…bye."

"Mhmm." Hermione rested her forehead in her one hand and waved her other hand at the closing door.

Why are you pushing this file so much? Are you doing it for the Dragons…or for the Red-headed heart throb asking for the help?

Hermione didn't have time to think of an answer. At that very moment, the door to her office burst open. Alin stormed in and Hermione caught a quick glance of her frightened secretary with her finger in the air as though she were about to call out to Mr. Rickmond. Then the door snapped shut and Hermione turned her attention to the man leaning on her desk so that he was face-to-face with Hermione.

**"_What did he want?_"**

"Sorry?" Hermione asked confused. She had never seen Alin like this. "What did who want?"

"_**Weasley**_! What did Weasley want? Camelia said he came in here to see you! What. Did. He. Want."

"Oh. Same thing he wanted with you I'm assuming. More space for the Dragon's. He wanted to discuss the files. I told h-"

"What did you say?"

Hermione frowned. "I'm getting there **Alin**." He looked taken aback as she continued. "I told him that the file was already looked after. That there was nothing more we could do."

Alin looked relieved. "Good. I thought you might've said you'd try or something."

"Well what's wrong with saying that?"

Alin looked up at her curiously. "Surely you must have learnt that you should never promise to do something…to fix something…that you can't fix."

"Well yes I did, but I think the Dragon situation can be fixed."

Alin frowned. "Hermione look, I've told you already, this can't be fixed. There's simply no room, nothing more that we can do."

"Actually, I've been reading over some of this stuff…"

"Why? We closed the file already."

"**You** closed the file without even opening it. I don't know about in this office, but back home that's a no-no. We try to do our best to make sure any problems that we can fix, are fixed."

"But this can't be fixed Hermione. I told you that already. There's nothing more that we can do." They stared at each other for a few minutes. Hermione finally broke the eye contact and went back to scribbling down some notes. She spoke without looking up.

"I need you to get me the previous landscaping records from your office."

"Excuse me?"

"The previous landscape records. I need them. Dana went to get them, but Camelia wouldn't let her. So you need to get the for me."

"I heard what you asked for. But that sounded like an order. Last I checked, **I** was the boss around here."

"Then I guess you better start doing a better job."

Alin's face darkened. "Look Hermione, I don't know what that Weasley said to you…"

"What do you have against him." At Alin's curious look Hermione added quickly. "I mean, out in the hall today, you two really didn't seem to get along…at all."

"Rocky past." He stated it simply, but she knew that was as far as she could push it…for now. "Look, Hermione…" He sighed heavily. "I know you're a kind person and you want to help with the Dragon situation, but there simply isn't room-"

"I think that there-"

"**However** if you **think **you can find some…by all means, knock yourself out. At least it will get Weasley off my back and he won't have an excuse to come here:" He added in an undertone. Hermione frowned, _what was up with those two?_ "Seeing what you did with some of these files, I have complete faith in you that you can do **something** that'll make a difference." She smiled at him. "Even if the difference is getting Weasley off our backs." Alin started walking back towards the door. "Oh, and do you have that Pixie file?"

"No. I never did it."

"What?" He wheeled around. "Hermione I need that file by tonight…"

"Get me those landscape records, and tell your secretary that I have access to all those files in your office, **then **I'll finish the file."

"But…I…" He sighed again. "You drive a hard bargain. But deal. You're pretty stubborn aren't you?"

"I am my father's daughter." She smirked, but as Alin chuckled and left the office, she had to frown slightly.

Charlie would really get that line. He knows what my father is like… No! Bad Hermione! Stop thinking of Charlie!! Bad! Bad!! 

As soon as Alin left the small area in front of Hermione's office, Dana stumbled in. "Is everything alright ma- miss. He didn't get mad or anything did he. I know he's really touchy about the Dragon files…and then he's always in a bad mood after having a confrontation with that Mr.Weasley…plus he's probably tired from his meeting. Is everything alright?"

Hermione only smiled up at Dana, holding one finger up as if to say 'Wait a minute', then she pulled the Pixie file towards her. She sat with it closed in front of her on the desk, waiting patiently as Dana stared at her curiously. After a few minutes Dana jumped as Alin strode in the office right up to Hermione's desk.

"Here." He dropped a stack of papers down on Hermione's desk. "And I talked to Camelia. You now have access to any of the files kept in my office, other than the employee records. I just ask that you let me know when you take them, in case I need them at some point." Dana looked truly shocked as she looked between Hermione and Alin.

"Fine with me." Hermione said, checking the first few maps on the top of the pile. "I should have this done in two hours tops. Probably sooner." She opened the file as she spoke and Alin flashed her one of his famous grins.

"Take your time. Just get it by tonight."

Hermione nodded as he left the office, Dana turned to Hermione.

"What was…how did you…?"

Hermione laughed. "I have my ways Dana. He's not such a bad guy."

"No, but him and Ms. Ranglish never really got along. I think she was upset that he was so much younger than her, and could boss her around. Plus she was a little upset that the last Head had to retire. They were having a small…affair. So when Mr. Rickmond showed up, well… she never liked him from the start, you should of heard her. Cussing and swearing. Mind you she never really got along with anyone…but Mr. Rickmond can be pretty difficult too. And… oh I'm sorry miss. You don't want to hear all this. Forgive me for babbling. Ms.Ranglish hated it when I babbled." She shivered visibly and backed out of the room. "Is there anything you need miss?"

"No, no Dana, I'm good thank-you."

"Alright miss. Just give a shout if you need anything."

"I will." Hermione took one last look at the Dragon file before turning to the Pixie problem.

_Charlie will just have to wait I guess._

_**Charlie**__ will have to wait??_

_I mean the Dragons! The dragons will have to wait…. Yes, the dragons!_

_Uh huh…nice try…_

_Shut-up._

---------------------------------------------------------

Just as Hermione closed the file, Dana knocked on her door. "Miss this just came for you. By owl." She handed Hermione a scrolled up note that had been turned briefly into an airplane to fly from the Ministry's owlery, to the office of it's recipient.

"Thank-you Dana." Dana smiled but looked distantly at the clock as she turned. "How was your day Dana?"

"My day miss?" She turned back to Hermione who unrolled the parchment.

"Yes, surely something good must have come from it."

"I suppose miss. Not much I can really do as a secretary." Hermione nodded as she read the note.

_Hermione,_

_Stop being a prat! That's Ron's job! You're supposed to be the smart one. Give my brother a bloody chance! Remember what happened last time we all jumped to conclusions?_

_Love you! 3_

_Your friends, _

_Ginny, Harry, and Ron_

_P.s. How's Romania? Loneley? Well then, GIVE CHARLIE A CHANCE TO EXPLAIN!! SHEESH! It won't be lonely with him. ;)_

Hermione frowned. Charlie must have sent Ginny a letter. She folded up her note and tucked it in her pocket, turning back to Dana. "Did I see a colourful memo come your way this morning?"

"Oh," Dana fidgeted again biting her lip. "Yes miss, you did. I'm sorry about that. It was from my grandson. He drew me a picture and asked whether I was going to his jr. quidditch game. It won't happen again miss."

"Nonsense Dana. I don't mind."

"Really miss?"

"Of course not. I didn't even know you had a grandson."

"Well Ms. Ranglish told me to leave my personal business out of the office. So I never really bothered mentioning them. I didn't want to upset you miss."

"You know I'm getting the impression that Ms. Ranglish was a bit of a grouch."

"If you want to put it politely than yes." Alin said as he walked in. " But I can think of a lot of different words to describe her. Anyways, I forgot to give you this map earlier, it must have slipped under my desk when I grabbed the others. Thought you could use it."

Hermione chuckled and Dana looked down at the ground as Alin placed the map on her desk. "Thank-you Alin. And as long as you're here," She picked up her file, "I just finished."

"Oh good. Thank-you."

"Not a problem."

"I should be going back to my desk miss. Call if you need anything."

"Oh Dana!"

"Yes miss?"

"Do you have a picture of your grandson?"

"Of course miss. I kept it in my drawer so no-one would see it."

"Can I see it?"

Dana smiled enthusiastically. "Of course miss. I'll go get it! You'll absolutely LOVE it!" She dashed out of the office and both Alin and Hermione laughed.

"You know Hermione, I don't think I've seen her that bubbly…well…ever. Apparently when she came, she was one of the bubbliest people in the office. Some of the older workers say that she was always bringing a new life to people. But after Ms. Ranglish showed up, that nasty woman…who, may I point out, was nicknamed 'The Dementor'…was constantly yelling at her. They said she sucked the fun and happiness right out of Dana."

"I get the impression Ms. Ranglish was intimidating. Dana is always fidgeting, and she constantly looks like she's afraid she's going to get yelled at. You should of saw her when she couldn't get me these maps. She was practically trembling and apologizing. She reminded me of a house elf."

"Yea, Ranglish could do that to people. Hell, she hated everyone, I was the only one who stood up to her, and half the time I was trembling myself when I got back to my office. She knew though that she couldn't tell me off because I was in charge."

As Dana came back in with a handful of pictures, Hermione looked up at Alin. "Hey, don't think that jut because you're the boss, I won't tell you off. If I think you're being an idiot about something I'll tell you. Another great trait I got from my dad. If I don't like it, I speak my mind."

"I noticed. No one else ever 'ordered me' to get them certain forms and files."

"I'm not like anyone else."

"I know. And don't let working here change that Hermione." They shared a smile and Hermione thought briefly of what Charlie had said earlier that day. _Well, you certainly didn't take long to adjust here. You sound just like everyone else._

"Let's see this grandson of yours Dana."

"Actually miss I have two. Flaviu, who is just turning four. And Alexandru…he's six and a half. He's the one playing quiditch tonight."

"Oh is he in the junior league?" Alin asked as he walked behind Hermione to look at the pictures as she 'Awwww'ed.

"Yes, he plays for the 'Tomb Tumblers.' He LOVES it. Flaviu wants to play, but he's still too young. He's just starting to show his powers."

Hermione smiled and looked at the two boys in the picture. The one on the left was a bit shorter than his brother. He had bleach blonde hair that reminded Hermione of the Malfoys. He was sucking on his left thumb, and waving at the camera with his other hand. His brother kept pulling the thumb out of his mouth but the blonde would just force it back in. The boy on the right had light brown hair that went just past his ears. She heard Alin over her right shoulder.

"I suppose Flaviu is the blonde."

"Da. When he was born. Oh my! What blonde hair. Here." She handed them a picture of a plump, stocky lady holding a little blonde baby. His hair was so light you could hardly see it. Hermione wasn't interested in the little boy though. She was looking at the woman holding him.

"Is this you Dana?"

"Yes miss it is."

"You look gorgeous."

"Thank you." It was true. Dana's face was bright and carefree as she held her grandson. Her dark blonde hair was down to her shoulders and she wore bright, happy colours, unlike what she wore to work. Her eyes had a sparkle that Hermione had never seen in them before, but as she looked up at the woman now showing Alin a picture of Alexandru on his mini broomstick, Hermione saw a glimpse of that twinkle.

"They're beautiful Dana."

"Thank you miss."

"What time is Alexandru's quiditch game?"

"6:45"

Hermione looked at the clock. "It's just short of 6:00 Dana. When did you plan on getting ready?"

"Oh they already know I can't go. It's the same with all their games."

"Why can't you?"

"I work until 7:00 everynight."

"So you never got off early to go watch?" Dana shook her head frowning, losing that twinkle.

Alin raised an eyebrow, "With Ranglish as a boss?"

Hermione looked back at Dana. "Dana, get out of here. You should be at Alexandru's game."

"What? Oh no miss. I couldn't. I have to work. I'll see them when they get home. They live at my house." She added as an afterthought.

"So, he wants you at his game I'm sure. Now go. Go see his game, there's nothing more I need from you anyway now. I'm pretty sure I know where everything is."

"Are you sure miss?" Dana asked, excitement shining in her eyes.

"Positive."

"Oh thank-you miss!" Dana squealed as she ran out of the room to gather her things.

"That was really nice of you."

"Well she deserves to get off early. And every kid wants their grandma at their games. I didn't know they lived with her though."

"Neither did I. I guess I never really asked. Yet Dana makes sure she knows when something's bothering someone so she can help them. Nice woman. Like you a bit… you're too nice to be working here." Alin laughed out. "You help everyone…not just the animals."

"Meh, once again, it's in my blood. Both from my family, and my friends."

"Ah yes. Harry Potter. You helped him a lot I hear."

"Well it wasn't just me helping him…but yes." She stopped before mentioning Ron. Had Alin made the connection yet that she knew Charlie?

"Well, I'll leave you to your humanitarian good deeds." He said walking out of the office as Dana rushed back in. He smiled at her. "See you later Hemione, and good luck with… those files." His tone became bitter as he mentioned the files, but he flashed her a smile before heading back to his office.

"Miss can I get that picture back please?" Dana pointed to the one of the two boys.

"Of course Dana. Do you mind if I hold onto this one for a bit though?" she gestured to the one of Dana holding Flaviu.

"Of course miss. I have extra's of that one at home." She smiled as she began to leave.

"Are you sure you don't need anything miss?"

"I'm fine Dana." Hermione thought back to what Alin had said about Dana: _Dana makes sure she knows when something's bothering someone so she can help them._

Maybe she knows about… 

"Actually Dana." The woman turned to her. "Just before you go…can I ask you something?"

"Of course miss." Hermione gestured to the door and Dana closed it quickly, a bit of worry and fear crossing over her face.

"Do you…do you know anything about…" Hermione tried to figure how to word it. "The relationship between Al- Mr. Rickmond and Char- that Mr. Weasley that was in here earlier?"

Dana's face fell a bit more. "They don't get along very good."

"So I hear, but do you know why?"

"I'm not too sure miss. I know that they had gotten along ok before. Mr. Weasley had met Mr. Rickmond when Mr. Weasley brought in a formal letter, and then again at a Christmas party when Mr. Weasley came with someone. But one day Mr. Rickmond went out of the office in furry. And then the next day Mr. Weasley showed up and he looked really mad. He went straight in Mr. Rickmonds office and they were shouting. I couldn't make out exactly what they were saying…but they were both really ticked off. Mr. Weasley stormed out of here, and Mr. Rickmond took the rest of the day off."

Hermione frowned. "But you don't know why?"

"Well I asked Mr. Rickmond the next day if everything was ok, he seemed pretty upset still. He was going to tell me, but Ms. Ranglish saw me. And well…she didn't like me talking with Mr. Rickmond…" Dana trailed off and Hermione nodded.

"Ok Dana, thanks! I was just wondering what was with all the tension earlier today." Dana nodded. "Well have fun at the game, and wish Alexandru good luck from me. What position does he play?"

"Chaser. And I will miss." She smiled and left the office quickly, calling back over her shoulder, "Thank you miss!"

Hermione chuckled. Dana was awesome. The perfect little grandma. She turned to the stack of maps and papers that Alin had left on her desk.

Ok, let's do this…see if Charlie was right when he wrote… 

-------------------------------------------------

It was late. How late? Hermione wasn't sure. All she knew was that it was late, everyone else in the office had gone home, the hall outside was dark and empty, and she needed caffeine. She stretched out and closed her eyes for a few minutes. They were sore. She had been staring at maps all day. So many different lines, and most of the things were written in Romanian. She sighed opening her eyes again. She looked at the map in front of her. If she was right, this was the map Charlie had mentioned in his letter. She just couldn't read it.

"Stupid Romanian." She mumbled.

"You're not talking about me are you?"

Hermione jumped out of her eat and grabbed her wand. Alin stood in the doorway holding two coffee mugs. She breathed a sigh of relief.

"Bloody hell Alin, I didn't know you were still here, you scared me half to death."

"Sorry." He mumbled as she sat back down. "I was just leaving and I saw your light on." He handed her a coffee and she accepted it greedily. "So I decided to see why you were still here." He said as she started to sip on it. Alin sat on the corner of her desk. "So you **weren't** talking about me, right?"

"Hm? No. The language." She laughed and blushed slightly. "I probably should have learnt more before I came here, but, well…I didn't." She looked down at the map and Alin laughed.

"Having trouble with the maps?"

"Slightly. I figured out most of them. It's just, I think this is the one that was mentioned, and I can't figure it out at all." She sighed heavily and continued drinking her coffee. She looked at Alin over the rim. He was staring at the map as if deep in thought. Perhaps he was arguing with himself like she did. Did she look like that when she was fighting with herself. Finally he sighed and stood up. She looked away quickly.

"Lemme see it." He stood over her right shoulder again and read the map.

THIS is what he was arguing about? Wow, he must really not like Charlie if he doesn't want to help the Dragon's out because of him.

"Look Alin, it's ok. You were heading home already. I'll figure this out, it'll just take some time." She gestured at the dictionary that lay open on her desk.

"No it's ok. I'm not going to leave you here by yourself this late."

Hermione yawned. "What time is it?"

"10:40"

"**What!? **Already??"

"Yup."

Hermione groaned. "Thanks for the coffee."

"Ah it was nothing. Now lets see this map." He scanned over it a few times and pulled two more out of the pile. Him and Hermione spread the three maps around the floor and hovered amongst them.

After about an hour of sifting through different maps, and of Alin translating half of the things to Hermione, the two flopped back in chairs.

"Ok," Hermione said, "so, according to that map–" she pointed to one that held many scribbles, numbers, and words she didn't understand. "The area the dragon's had ten years ago, was over 30 000 square feet bigger than it is right now. Right?"

"Right."

"And according to this map…the decrease occurred…?"

"Five years ago. Like two months before I took over."

"Lovely." Hermione sighed, rubbing at her eyes again. "So then this whole area here…what happened to it?"

Alin reached down and took the file that went with the map. He scanned through the words quickly and frowned. "Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"It was just put as protected area. No one was allowed to use it. It's basically a bunch of big empty space."

"What was the point of taking it from the dragons?"

"No point. Just for the heck of it I guess. It says here that they needed less area so that the Dragon's didn't have that much room to breed and expand. They wanted to control the population. But that doesn't make sense…"Alin put that file down and picked another near Hermione, also written in Romanian. "**This** file says that the breed of dragon in this particular area is rapidly becoming extinct. So why would they want to cut back the area?"

Hermione was quiet for a few minutes while Alin looked over the files again. Finally, she spoke in barely a whisper. "Revenge."

"Revenge? For what?"

"Before transferring here, I read up on the history of the Romanian Ministry of Magic, and right from the start of the book, the Romanian Ministry has always been known for it's superb protection of dragons. It was always well known for being the best area to bring and raise dragons. So what better thing is there to do to get revenge…"

"Then to cut back on the Dragon population and make it look like the ministry screwed up and is in over it's head."

"Exactly."

"But that doesn't make sense still. Who would have been after revenge? The only one's who could have changed this file would be the Heads…"

"And you said this change was done two months before you took over."

"Yea…"

"Well would the Head of Department before you…would he have known that early that he was losing his job?"

"I assume. He had to retire, so he would have known a good chunk in advance. You think he did it?"

"Yes. If he didn't want to retire, and the ministry was making him, why not sabotage the ministry."

"He couldn't have passed it that fast."

"Why not, he was the head of Department. If he said it was an emergency he could."

"Ok, but what about Ranglish. She was mean and everything…but she wasn't stupid. She would have had to go through the files as Deputy Head, sign them and approve. So he couldn't have done it."

"Oh yea…" Hermione frowned. Suddenly, she remembered something she had heard earlier. "They were having an affair."

"You really want it to be them don't you?"

Hermione laughed. "No, but Dana told me earlier…she kind of let it slip out, that they had been having an affair. Ranglish and whoever was in charge before you."

"Huh…that must be why she hated me so much."

"That and you were younger than her. It pissed her off. She was cussing and swearing and throwing a hissy fit when you showed up." Alin looked at her. "What? I talk to Dana." They both laughed, looking back over the stacks of files. Alin finally sighed.

"Alright. Since this is obviously important to you, and the situation is ridiculous, and should have something done to fix it…" Hermione looked up at him as he continued. He sighed again. "Tomorrow we'll….go to the dragon reserve, you and me, and do a surprise inspection. If it's as bad as it sounds like it is, then we'll see what we can do." He looked up and flashed Hermione a smile. "Deal?"

Hermione squeeled and gave him a hug. "Deal!"

"Good."

--------------------------------------------

After cleaning up the papers, maps, and files in the office, Alin and Hermione set off home. They apparated to an alley near Hermione's apartment, and Alin made sure she got safely to the door. It was after all, close to 1:00 in the morning.

"Thanks for your help Alin. I'd still be sitting there now trying to decipher what word means what."

"Ah no problem. At least now we know what happened…and why Weasleys so bloody mad."

Hermione smiled faintly. "Yea." She yawned again as she unlocked her door. "Thanks again Alin, and thanks for walking me home."

"No problem." He smiled at her. "Don't worry about getting in early tomorrow, get some rest. Hell, I'm not coming in till after ten. I left a note for both our secretaries. Get some rest, and then tomorrow around 11:30 we'll head over to the reserve. Ok?"

"Sure. But I'll head in tomorrow morning."

"No. I already left a note that neither of us would be there because we were working late. You look more tired than usual."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You've looked like a zombie this last week. So you need rest."

"Fine. Thank-you."

"Yep, and hey…" She turned back as she stepped inside her apartment.

"What is it?"

"I thought maybe. Well, I know this great restaurant in town that I think you'd like. It's called 'Lenuta's' Actually I know the owner, she's nice. And it's good food. So I thought maybe you'd like to go grab some supper with me tomorrow night."

Hermione tilted her head sightly. "That sounds good. I'd love to go."

"Great. Around eight-ish."

"Sounds good Alin."

"Yea. Alright well…goodnight."

"Goodnight." She closed the door as he left and frowned.

Is that a date? 

_I'd say that's an official date, yes._

_But…_

_Look, don't analyze this. Just go to bed._

_Fine. They'll be plenty of time to analyze it tomorrow._

Hermione climbed into bed and as she drifted off to sleep, it wasn't Alin or their date she was thinking of. It was Ginny's letter. She reached in her pocket to pull it out, but it wasn't there. Did she leave it at the office maybe? Well, she knew what it said.

Uh oh…**Am** I going down that same road again? 

Hermione sighed and turned over, she gulped down some dreamless sleep potion and dropped into a deep sleep. That one line being the last thing ringing in her head…

_Remember what happened last time we all jumped to conclusions?_

**--------------------------------------------------**

**So…any thoughts!?**

**YAY! REVIEWERS!**

**Snapehermionelover: Yes, Alin is definitely annoying, and there's defiantly tension between him and Charlie. What's wrong with Hermi8one becoming a butt kisser? It worked for Percy lol. There's always something more… :P**

**Lixa Levine: Is this a fast enough update?**

**Pstibbons:O You want it to end up Hermione/Alin:D Maybe it will. Maybe it won't.**

**jayne-ron-leo: Yea, it's hard to call someone you're so use to calling by their first name, by Miss. or Mr.**

**Sam's Firefly: That's ok, I don't expect anyone really to know. And yea, if there IS room, Hermione's the girl who will find it.**

**Sesshomaruobsessed: Wow, you know a lot about Dragons. Maybe I should get you to help with the fic if I need to talk about Dragons :P I leant my 'Magical Beasts and Where to Find Them' book to my friend, and haven't gotten it back yet, so yea. Yea, Alin seems to like her a lot. It's Charlie he doesn't really like. I LOVE reading your reviews…they're soooooooo long! LOL Yea, I love Hermioe/Fred and Hermione/George stories too. They're fun:P**

**wifeylady21: Glad you like it:D **

**StoryGirl02: Haha I'm glad you like it that much. LOL I know there aren't enough Charmione stories out there.**

**ErikandChristine: UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE! LOL Yea…I figured you'd hate Alin :P I'm glad you liked the story so far! Now Huma…UPDATE YOURS!**

**Hotkat144: Yes, help the dragons.**

**I r e n ii: – shakes head sadly – You are….something else. I swear I'm gonna feed Irena to a Dragon soon. And don't think I won't, cause I can! I have that power! You're like, the LEAST important person in the story right now. I think DANA is more important than you right about now:P:P:P And yea, Alin sounds just like guy you'd go after. Love ya huns! LOL**

**Mimi The Witch: Haha. Are you yelling at Hermione too….lots of people seem to be doing that lately. LOL You can't dislike Alin THAT much. He's a good guy. :P Glad you liked the update:D **

**Fireboltwiccan: Irena's…well…Irena :P I'm glad you like my Charmione stories! ******** That makes me feel good LOL**

**CaramelBoost: I love how you say 'a normal reason'. LOL That's just perfect. And yea, I know the countless email thing. I updated two of my stories once before going away, and I went for a week, when I got home I had sooooooooo many reviews and alerts and just normal emails from my friends. I spent like 3 days emptying my emails! LOL Glad you like this story though!! Thanks for reviewing, and I'll let you know when I need a smut writer!**

**Weasleytwinsarehott: Hope you didn't have to wait too long! You made my day saying this was one of your favourites:) Thanks!**

**kiwi-messer: Haha…why would you WANT to push Alin under a bus. It's ALIN! LOL He's awesome! (Jokes) Yea, Hermione could use a swift kick…but she's coming along. A bit…**

**ruchie-smooch: YAY! Ruchie's home from Montreal!!! Ruchie's home from Montreal!!! –dances– Hope you liked the update! **

**--------------------------------------------------------------**

**I'm still looking for the Snape/Hermione M-rated One Shot called Red Silk. Even the author name would be most helpful!!**

**NOTE: Da Yes  
And just so you all know too. I googled 'Romanian Names Female' and 'Romanian Names Male' and they have a certain significance. :) I used them for characters and for names of places. So yea, Take a look, It was the first thing that popped up on google. 2000 – NAMES the site was called. Just google what I did. You never know…it might leak some hints.**

**COMING UP: At the reserve…dinner date…Lots of Charlie now!! (YAY)….. Irena….. And IS Hermione going down the same path again?…What's gonna happen with her and Charlie. And STILL. What is up with Charlie and Alin?**


	6. Checking the Reserve

**I'm back again:)**

**Sorry it's been so long since my last update, I got a little side tracked with "The Wrong Prince Charming?" It was just one of those one shots that wouldn't leave me alone until I finished it. I've gotten good reviews, so go read it:D**

**But now I need to return to this story to get my mind off of my newly tightened braces that are stabbing at the inside of my mouth. :P**

**-------------------------------------------------------**

**Disclaimer: I don't own it, if you recognize it. Although at this point, since Hermione is being stupid, I'll take Charlie!! LOL**

**--------------------------------------------------------**

**Go check out erikandchristines story, ****100 Ways to ANNOY Lord Voldemort**

**And then go look at Lixa Levine's Charlie/Hermione story, ****Trapped in the House of INSANITY****! It's awesome! And hilarious… both stories!**

**-----------------------------------------------------------**

**Any translations you need are at the end:D**

"Good morning miss!" Dana smiled brightly as Hermione walked off the elevator and to her office. It was 10:48, she'd never slept that long, or been that late for work before.

"Morning Dana. Sorry I'm late."

"Oh it's no problem miss. Mr. Rickmond said you needed rest, and wouldn't be in until later."

"Is Alin already in?" Hermione had given up calling Alin Mr. Rickmond in front of people. It just didn't work…or sound right.

"Oh yes, he's in his office."

"What time did he get here?"

"7:30."

"Early? He got here 15 minutes earlier than usual?"

"Yes miss. I was just arriving myselfwhen he came, thought I'd make up for yesterdays lost time."

"He's a little liar." Hermione mumbled grumpily as she stalked into her office. "Thank you Dana. And don't worry about making up time. How was the game?"

"Wonderful! I didn't know how good Alexandru really was until yesterday. He was so surprised to see me there."

"That's good." Hermione put her things on her desk and picked up the now completed file. She gathered her things for the inspection and went out to Dana's desk. "We'll be leaving soon Dana for the reserve. Just leave any messages on my desk, I'll be back after the inspection." She leaned in a little closer so only Dana could hear. "Do they…do they usually take very long?"

"It's hard to say miss. When Ms. Ranglish and our old head used to go, well… they pretty much never came back. But when Mr. Rickmond and Ms. Ranglish went, it was pretty fast. They only went together once though. Then they did all separate inspections. They really didn't get along."

Hermione chuckled softly. "Alright, thanks Dana. This should be fun I guess. Although Alin will probably be in a bad mood because he hates going."

"I still don't understand why he's like that. He used to really like Dragons."

"Really?" Hermione asked in disbelief. She noticed Carmelia watching her and Dana intently, but as soon as Carmelia saw she went back to her work. "Hm, I wonder why he doesn't anymore. Well, I'll see you when I get back." She smiled and headed over to Alin's office. She could at least be the first to be ready to go.

She glanced around his office as she stepped in. Carmelia smiled up at Hermione slightly but quickly looked back to her files, muttering a quiet, "bună ziua".

Alin was sitting at his desk, hunched over a scrap of parchment, frowning. Hermione looked closely at him. His brow was furrowed and his eyes were concentrating on the parchment. He seemed to be in his own little world, and didn't notice Hermione as she entered. She glanced at the pictures on his desk. One was of a family, consisting of a young boy with short curly black hair, a young girl whose hair was tied back in a ponytail, and, what Hermione assumed to be, their parents. The father looked like Alin in the face, except he looked older.

_This must be Alin's family when he was younger._

The second picture looked more recent. Alin was dressed in dress robes, and had his arm drapped around a young girl who looked to be between his and Hermione's age. She had long black hair that went just past her shoulders.

_Alin doesn't have a girlfriend does he? _

_Why do you care? I thought you liked Charlie still? _

_I do… I mean I don't… just…I thought Alin and I were going on a date tonight?_

Her thoughts were interrupted however by the skinny, blonde, secretary that came through the door, giving Hermione a disapproving look. Hermione suddenly felt very subconscious.

_Had she put on a lot of weight? She couldn't have, she hadn't been eating a lot lately..._

"Domn Rickmond." Carmelia spoke directly to Alin and he looked up quickly.

"Da?" He spotted Hermione as Carmelia nodded in her direction. "Hermione hi!" He stuffed the parchment in his pocket and then checked his watch frowning. "Sorry, am I late?"

"No."

"Nu."

Hermione looked at Carmelia slightly, but turned back to Alin. "I'm a little early. And YOU lied to me last night." She placed a hand on her hip disaprovingly, but the smile tugging at her lips gave her away. "You said that you weren't going to come in until after ten…so I didn't feel too bad about it. But Dana says you were here **before** 8:00. You little liar!"

Alin smirked. "You looked tired."

"Domn Rickmond. Tu eşti mergi la a fi tîrziu."

"Foarte bine, Mulţumesc" Turning to Hermione he answered her slightly puzzled look. "She says we're going to be late."

"Oh." Hermione replied absently as she spotted yhe fall wall. She started walking over to the shelf of books on Alin's far wall and stumbled over the garbage bin.

Carmelia snorted as she left the office. "Aşa ea trebuie!"

"Carmelia!" Alin hissed as she settled back into her desk smirking.

"What did she say?" Hermione asked, not liking the tone in the secretary's voice.

"Nothing." Alin answered a little too quickly for Hermione's liking.

"I thought she spoke English?"

"A bit. Not a lot. Enough to deal with people who want to book appointments. But when she doesn't want to, she won't."

Hermione frowned but let it drop. "You have a lot of books. Are they all in Romanian?"

"No, some are English, if you want to borrow them. They're on some different animals."

"Ooh!" She scanned the letters, when she got to 'D', she noticed that the one shelf was pretty empty. She frowned. "Do you have some on Dragons?"

Alin's face darkened. "No."

"Why not?"

"Because. We better leave now, or we're going to be late." He grabbed his jacket off of the coat hanger in the corner and made his way to the door. Hermione stopped him. Her curiosity getting the better of her. "Who's this?" She pointed at the picture of Alin and the black haired woman. He frowned sadly before looking at her.

"Prinţesă" He sighed a bit and turned his back to Hermione. "My older sister."

"Older?" Hermione looked back at the picture in awe. "There's no way she's older than **you**!?"

Alin laughed dryly. "She definitely is." Hermione stared at the picture. Now she **really** felt self-conscious.

_Are all girls in Romania pretty and perfect and skinny and good looking? Do they all look younger than they really are? Even Dana looks too young to be a grandmother._

Hermione sighed and followed Alin, who was already at the elevator, out of the office. Alin nodded to his secretary as the elevator door closed.

"Adio! Baftă de cu dragons şi Charlie!" Carmelia smirked slightly as Alin grumbled something Hermione didn't hear. She frowned.

"You know Alin if you don't want to go with me. I can do the inspection myself. I really don't mind."

"No, no it's ok." He rubbed his temple a bit and stifled a yawn. "Sorry, I don't mean to be grouchy. I guess I'm just a little tired. And as you probably guessed, **_Weasley_** and I don't get along very good."

"Yea, I kind of noticed that. Look, if you don't want to go…"

"No. I'm going." He stepped out of the elevator as the doors opened and Hermione followed him to the apparation points in the building. "Tag along aparate with me. Make sure we end up in the right place. And besides, you don't know where exactly you're going." Alin said as Hermione went to move to a separate point.

"Oh. Right." She chuckled and grabbed a firm hold on his arm. With a 'pop' she was whooshed into space, and she tightened her grip on Alin's arm. She blinked as the bright, hot sun beat down suddenly on her and Alin.

She looked around at the nearby tents. One bore a symbol much like St. Mungos, and she assumed it was the hospital tent. There was a large tent to her left, and Hermione saw a few people exit it, one of which was chewing on a small piece of toast.

"This way," Alin growled, leading her to a small tent not too far from where they appeared. He pushed the flap back and led Hermione inside. A large, heavily built man was inside talking with a young dragon keeper, leaning slightly against the large wooden desk that, along with the back shelf, took up most of the tent.

"Did you get him in the pen."

"Yes. Of course we did."

"Alright…" The man paused, looking at Alin and Hermione. "Cine eşti tu?" He grumbled.

"We're Alin Rickmond and Hermione Granger-" the man's eye's flashed at Hermione as Alin spoke her name. "Head and Deputy Head of the Animal Protection Department. We came for an inspection. You speak English I assume."

"A surprise inspection? I didn't know you still did that with the dragon reserve. It's been years since you were last here." He looked pointedly at Alin. "And I assume you are a new Deputy Miss…Granger was it? "

"Yes." Hermione smiled slightly at the man. As the trainer left the room, the large man nodded at her slightly. He made his way behind the desk and started scanning over an open book that lay on it.

"Lemme call someone to go with you."

"We can go on our own." Alin said turning to leave.

"A Dragon Reserve is nowhere for anyone untrained to be wanderin' around." He suddenly made his way past Alin. "Jus' the man I was lookin' fer!" he cried.

_Oh no. Please tell me I didn't see red…please please please…_

"Charlie here. He's been with the reserve for a while now. Ten years isn't it? Came here just after he finished school. He'll take ya around. They came here for a surprise inspection." The man pushed Charlie into the tent and him and Alin glared at each other as they came face-to-face. Hermione noticed the slightly surprised look on Charlie's face. It suddenly turned dark though.

"What's the reason for the inspection?" he asked, looking between all three occupants.

"We've discovered that there might be some unfair treatment with the dragons." Alin said, watching as both Charlie and the director's faces darkened in range.

_Uh oh._

"If there was an **unfair treatment** it would be because of-"

"We're not accusing you!" Hermione cut in quickly. "We think the ministry may have overlooked…well, made a mistake really."

"Ya think?" The director growled.

Charlie looked back at Alin smirking. "So, you finally read my letters huh?"

"Don't flatter yourself Weasley," Alin pushed his way past Charlie and out of the tent. "Hermione took it into her initiative to dig deeper than our past Deputy ever did."

Hermione suddenly felt uncomfortable being left in the tent without Alin, Charlie's eyes were searching her face, which she quickly faced to the ground. As the director left the tent too, Hermione looked up, regretting the move as their eyes locked. "We should go and get on with the inspection, we have a lot of work to do back at the office." As she passed Charlie he grabbed her arm.

"Why…?"

"We have an inspection to do Mr. Weasley, I suggest we get on with it-"

"Oh drop that crap Hermione. I know you don't want to keep calling me that."

She closed her eyes. "Charlie…"

Before she could say anything else, he leant down and pressed his lips lightly against hers. She didn't push him away, soaking in the moment as others just like it flooded her head. When he pulled back she looked up at him. Suddenly she yanked her arm loose. "I have work to do, so if you would kindly show us around, we'll get out of your hair." She turned and stalked through the tent flap. Charlie watched after her, his eyes darkening slightly.

"Let's go." He grumbled as he moved out of the tent and started making his way up the path. Hermione and Alin followed after him. As they passed the tents, Hermione's mouth dropped open slightly.

"Oh my gosh, it's beautiful here." She looked around at the landscape. Large mountains lay ahead of them, and Hermione could see a few blurs of colour moving amongst them. The rest of the area below the mountain was dirt, tramped down by the many large creatures that roamed around it. Large pens were placed amongst different area's, providing different shelters for the many different types of Dragons. More medical tents littered the grounds in different area's. There was a closed in, hooded area nearby, and, off to the left, Hermione could see a large fence that stretched from the Mountainside to the entrance. Beyond the fence, Hermione could see an outline of trees in the distance.

"Yea, it never gets less thrilling or beautiful, it's breathtaking no matter how many times you walk through the gates." Charlie replied absently, and still a little grumpily, as he led them to the closed in building. Hermione felt even more heat hit her as she entered through the doors. She gasped.

All around, large eggs of different colours lay under heat lamps. Some were speckled a pale blue or pale red. Some were a solid pale blue, pale red, pale green, pale yellow, or pale purple colour. Hermione watched as a few trainers paced around between the different patches. A couple had gathered near a patch of pale green eggs. Charlie, seeming to forget that he was showing Hermione and Alin around, made his way over to the group turning to a dark haired man on the right.

"Jack. How far along is the hatching?"

"Coupl'a hours. Should be born any minute now."

"Awesome. It's Anna's batch of eggs right?"

"Yea." Jack looked up at Hermione and Alin, his slightly bearded face wavering between worried, annoyed, curious, angered, and upset. He looked at Charlie questioningly as Alin and Hermione moved to stand beside him, Hermione wearing a soft smile.

"They're hatching?"

Charlie and Jack both looked at her "Yea."

Hermione and Alin stood with the trainers as the small cracks in the eggs grew. It was about ten minutes later when a whole piece of one of the eggs popped off, and a leg and wing stuck through the hole.

"Oh." Hermione gasped slightly. She heard Charlie chuckle quietly beside her. All eyes were on the dragons as they hatched... Hermione couldn't take her eyes off of it if she wanted to. The small snout slowly appeared after the leg and wing. It pushed it's head through, a small lump of a horn, present on it's snout, just as a spiked tailed broke through the back of the shell. Hermione smiled as the trainers watched the young hatchling shatter the remainder of the shell.

All the other trainers that had been wandering around the building made their way over to the area, some of them grabbing large bottles from the nearby wall as they went.

"We hafta feed 'em right away." Jack growled as Hermione and Alin parted to let the trainers through. "Lil' tykes are always hungry." Hermione looked at the Dark green-scaled dragon. It was anything but **little**. It looked to Hermione to be the size of a Labrador Retriever…minus the fur of course. It let out a small noise that seemed like a sneeze. A burst of small flames came shooting out of it's nose as it did so. "Aww bwess yoooow" Jack cooed at the thing as Charlie and a few other trainers chuckled, lowering one of the bottles in front of it's snout, as another two eggs cracked suddenly.

"It's so beautiful." Hermione spoke, grabbing the attention of a few curious looks. She saw two of the trainers look from her to Charlie, and back again. She raised an eyebrow slightly at the redhead, but he turned to Jack.

"So mate. What are you gonna name her?"

"Captivant. Cappy for short." Hermione looked at the beautiful creature that was now snarling as it sucked on the bottle that was being held in front of it.

_It's so beautiful……in a weird sort of way._

"Breath-taking?" Alin's voice jolted Hermione from her thoughts. She had forgotten he was standing beside her. Obviously everyone else had too, because they all turned to him as if never noticing he was still there. She looked at him and was slightly surprised to see a small twinkle in his eyes, which never left the green scales of the dragon. He looked truly amazed at what he was seeing, and Hermione thought she may just be seeing that love of Dragon's Dana had told her about earlier, shining through his eyes. She looked back at Charlie and Jack who were looking at Alin suspiciously.

"Yea. Breath-takin'. I think she's a breath-taker." Jack looked at Alin, then Hermione, then at Charlie, then back at Hermione. As he looked back at Charlie, she fidgeted slightly, it seemed the two Dragon Trainers were having a mental conversation that involved her, and she did **not** like being left out. She pouted slightly as she looked back at the hatchlings as more emerged.

"Those are Romanian Longhorns aren't they?"

Hermione looked back up at the mesmerized Alin as he spoke, all the while still watching the three small dragons fight over the bottles, as more pushed out of their shells.

_How can he tell what they are, when they're still so young?_

"Yea." Jack said absently. Him and Charlie had both hopped into the pen and were now stroking Cappy, while the other dragon hatchlings continued to suck on their bottles. Charlie knelt down beside the dragon as it nuzzled against his leg. Charlie scratched her head as if she were a soft fluffy kitten. It let out a little ball of fire and Hermione frowned.

"Should you really be playing with her Char-…" Alin looked at her oddly as she stopped mid-name. Both Jack and Charlie had looked up, the latter smirking slightly at her. She frowned, "I mean… isn't it dangerous?"

Jack was full out smiling. "Danger…" He spoke slowly, "Is the middle name of all dragon trainers." He emphasized his next word, as if to remind Hermione of what she had said mere seconds before. "**Char** and me here…" He smirked. "We like tah think of it as our first, second, and last names."

Hermione bit her tongue to stop herself from scolding Charlie, and he seemed to know what she was doing, because his smirk grew.

"So, you frequently hop into the hatchling cages then?" Alin asked looking at them in a way that reminded Hermione slightly of Professor McGonagal looking at Harry and Ron.

"Yea, is there a problem with that Rickmond?"

"Not really Weasley…although I do think I should take a note of this, perhaps there'd be more room if you weren't taking up space in the pens."

"It's not the hatchling centre that needs more room Rickmond! It's the outer pens. We're running out of space. If you had read my letters you would know we don't have enough room to raise any more dragons, over half the one's that hatch have to be shipped off to other reserves."

"Dyu know how depressin' it is to hafta send Dragons outta Romania? We're known to have 'superb protection of dragons' in this area…but we hafta send 'em away?"

"Yea, half this hatching will have to be shipped out."

Jack suddenly put on a dramatic face. "WHAT!? CAPPY!!! My lil' Captivant!?" He grabbed a hold of the front of Alin's shirt, shaking him slightly as he continued. Hermione bit her tongue to stop from laughing as Alin's face fell, slightly disgusted with the large man wailing and clinging to him. She looked at Charlie and the other trainers; they were all snickering and watching the scene before them unfold. Jack wailing like a two year old... or maybe like Hagrid did when he had to get rid of Norbert, or Buckbeak, or, any animal really. "Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo" Jack continued, "Ya can't do this. I can't lose Cappy!! She's so small… so precious… so… look at tha' face." He held the dragon to Alin's face. Alin's eyes lightened considerably, but he shook his head and turned back to Charlie, pushing the dragon away.

"Back to our inspection then."

"Why? You don't even know what your inspecting, you didn't read my letter's obviously..."

"Again, don't flatter yourself Weasley, I may not have… but Hermione did."

Once again, Jack, Charlie, and a few other trainers turned to look at the brunette curiously as Alin left the Hatchling centre with one last look at the young dragons. Hermione straightened her back slightly and, ignoring the smirk Jack was wearing, followed out behind Alin. As she got to the door, she heard Charlie leave the pen, Jack called after him.

"I wanna know how this turns out ya hear?"

Charlie ignored him and the two continued out of the tent. When they were all outside, Charlie took off towards the mountains again, Alin and Hermione at his heels. As they passed each pen, Hermione heard Alin mumble quietly to himself the different types of Dragons. She could tell apart some of them, but other groups she had trouble with. As she came up to one area, she saw a beautiful, silvery-blue dragon turn it's head to them.

"What kind of dragon is that?" She asked as it made it's way to the back of it's pen where Hermione could see the side of the mountain started.

"Swedish Short-Snout." Hermione and Charlie both turned to Alin as he watched the dragon leave.

_For someone who doesn't seem to like Dragons, he sure knows a lot about them…_

Alin looked at the two. Charlie had lost interest, but Hermione still looked puzzled. "I... uh... work in the Animal Protection Department. I know a fair bit about Dragons." He mumbled quietly, turning back to the dragon.

"I think her question was aimed at me Alin." Charlie spat out. "You should have recognized it Hermione." He sent her a look over his shoulder and she tilted her head slightly. "It's the same dragon… exact same one actually… that was at the Triwizard Tournament at Hogwarts…"

"Oh right." Hermione bit her lip slightly and avoided Alin's curious glances.

_Crap. Now Alin will know that Charlie and I know each other…_

"It fought… Diggory… Cedric." Hermione looked down at the ground biting her lip again. She hadn't really thought about Cedric, or his death, since the beginning of the war. She had saw his dad a couple of times at the Ministry, but she had shoved the thought of Cedric's tragic death to the back of her head. It affected everyone wh had known him, even briefly, because he had been killed while he was doing nothing wrong, and he had no chance to retalite. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"Right…" She whispered. "So um… where's this land you mentioned that had been taken?"

"Just beyond the fence over there." He led them along the base of the mountainside areas. Every time they came to a different dragon, Hermione, Alin, and Charlie would stop and watch as the beautiful creatures wove in and out of the mountains, some pulling up off the ground as the trainers watched them carefully, observing how high they could go before needing to be stopped.

"Haw many hours a day do Dragon Trainers usually work?"

Charlie looked at her curiously again. "Depends."

"On what?"

"How much experience you have, how much you can handle, what you're doing." She nodded slightly as if urging him to continue. He looked at her for a moment, studying her face. "Ok, look at it this way… Stefan over there… he's only been working here for a year now. So his hours aren't as long as Barney's are. He's been here for six years. However, Stefan has more hours than Carey. She just started working here at the beginning of summer. She works along side Barney some of the time, and is in training classes at other times." He looked at her to make sure she had understood, she nodded at him. "Right, so… umm. Someone like Stefan will have less flexible hours, because he's still considered a newby. But people who have been here as long as myself and Jack, we can be a bit choosier with our hours because we've put in so much work over the years."

Hermione caught Alin roll his eyes slightly as he started making his way towards the fence.

"However, if you're working in the hatchling center, you need to put in more hours during the week. Same goes for if you're on night shift. Most of the dragons sleep during the night. However, if you're working on the grounds… in the pens and up close to the dragons, or at the incoming dragon stations, than you don't need to put in as many hours, because they're more demanding fields…" He thought for a minute. "And more dangerous." He smiled to his self, as if remembering some thrilling moments he had had.

"Judging by Jack, I assume the two of you prefer the hands on, dangerous approach."

He smiled at her as if he knew something she didn't. "Of course."

She looked at him carefully then.

_No wonder Mrs. Weasley gets so nervous about him being out here all the time. He lives off the dangerous parts of life._

_Are you complaining about that?_

_No. I like that about him… he's not afraid to take risks…_

_So you still like him then?_

_Of course I d-_

Alin's snort pulled her out of her thoughts and she looked to the man who, apparently, had been eavesdropping on their conversation.

_I don't think you can call it eavesdropping. He WAS right in front of you… it's not like you asked for some privacy._

"Oh shut up." She told herself. Alin and Charlie looked at her.

_AH CRAP did I say that out loud?_

"Yea Rickmond. Shut it. You're annoying your co-worker." Charlie smirked.

"I wasn't talking to Alin-"

"There you go Weasley. She was talking to you. Guess you were boring her out of her mind."

Charlie's face fell.

"No no!" Hermione said quickly. "I was listening I think it's interesting…really, I was listening."

They both sent her a weird look, doubting her.

"Him and Jack like to live off the more dangererous parts of the job. See, I was listening."

Charlie smirked again and Alin scowled.

_Oh no._

"I…I wasn't talking to Alin…" Charlie scowled. "Or Cha-" As Charlie's mouth morphed into a smirk, Alin scowled. "I mean I…" Hermione sighed. "Look, I was talking to myself ok? Not you…either of you. I was thinking about something, and… yea, can we just leave it at that? Please?" She looked between the two men, who ended up scowling at each other before turning from her and making their way to the fence again. Hermione sighed.

_That was close…_

A couple trainers rushed across the path ahead of them as a roar went up somewhere to their right. Before Hermione or Alin could do anything, Charlie sprinted off after them. Leaving Hermione and Alin standing there, watching him as he tore around the corner.

"Now what…?" Alin asked frowning. As another, more fierce roar went up Hermione found her feet pulling her after Charlie and the other trainers.

"I don't know, but come on." She grabbed Alin's hand and pulled him, still frowning, after Charlie, rounding a corner, searching for the red hair. She gasped.

Two dragons were clawing at each other in the area ahead of them. Balls of fire went up around the two as they roared and snapped at each other's throats. Numerous trainers had climbed into the pens and were shooting spells at the two beasts in front of them. Ropes flew out from different wands all at once. Hermione suddenly caught a glimpse of Charlie. He ducked as one of the spiked tails of the Hungarian Horntail flew above his head. Hermione gasped again, clutching harder at Alin's hand as she pulled him even closer to the pens. "Charlie…" She whispered quietly as Jack appeared at her side.

"Bloody 'ell. What's goin' on?" He growled before sprinting off and into the pen, muttering a few curse words under his breath.

The Hungarian Horntail turned slightly to snap at the two trainers who were trying to rope it's neck. As it did however, the large, roughly-scaled, black dragon in front of it, sunk it's teeth into the back of it's head, flapping it's bat-like wings triumphantly. Hermione gasped again as a ball of flames shot towards the two trainers who had already moved partially out of the way. They flew to the ground quickly and Hermione watched nervously until they both pushed themselves up slowly. She sighed. Jack cursed again pulling himself up from the dirt where the Hungarians tail had passed over.

Hermione looked quickly back to where she had last saw the red hair amongst all the black scales. Her eyes suddenly locked with his blue ones. His face was blank and he was staring at her oddly. She tilted her head at him. He kept staring.

_What the hell is he doing? He's going to get hurt!_

She frowned, turning her head to face Alin. "He's going to get hurt. Why isn't he paying attention." Hermione didn't know if he even knew who she was talking about, she didn't know why she was talking to him about it, but she was. She was worried, and even if Alin didn't like Charlie, or didn't know about her and Charlie, she needed to say **something** to **someone**. "Why is he just staring?" Her head snapped back in Charlie's directions. His face was still facing her blankly, but his eyes were dark and angry. "What is he _**doing**_?"

"Char! Bloody 'ell Char! Ge' down!" Jack tugged at the red-heads arm and the two both fell to the ground as the Hungarian sent it's tail flying back and forth over where they had been standing.

Hermione shrieked and sucked in as much breath as she could. She was shaking slightly. Alin's hand tightened around hers, but she barely noticed… her eyes never leaving where she had last saw Charlie. "No…no, no, no…" She gulped. "Please no…"

The Hungarian smashed it's tail down into the dirt as the large black dragon tightened it's grip on the Hungarian's neck, fighting it, as well as the many dragon keepers that were sending curses and ropes at it. As the tail smashed into the dirt again, Hermione became aware of the tears that were sliding down her face. Then she saw Jack, off to the right of where the tail was, where he and Charlie had laid seconds before. He was looking at the ground just past the tail. "What are ya doin' now?" He shouted, a small smirk tugging at his lips. Hermione followed Jacks gaze to where…

_YES!_

Charlie crouched close to the lashing tail. He watched it intently, and then as it swung towards him, he leapt, just missing the spikes as he landed on the beast's tail. He used the spikes to pull his way up the tail until he was at the dragon's back, sending a rope down to the ground every few inches, hoping to keep the tail still. When he reached the back, he sent a curse at the bright purple eyes of the black dragon. This caused it to release the Hungarian and stumble back slightly in shock. Charlie used this time to send a rope down to Jack to help pull him up onto the back of the Hungarian. Together the two sent some more stunning spells at the purple eyes ahead of them.

Suddenly the Hungarian jerked, lashing it's tail, and pulling it free from it's confines. Charlie and Jack both gripped at the scales so as not to fall. They pulled their way up to the bloodied neck of the Hungarian as the trainers on the ground sent all their ropes up at the black dragon that was rubbing it's face in the dirt slightly. Charlie sent a rope straight up in front of him, and when it passed the Hungarians mouth, Jack summoned it back, grabbing hold of it as if it were reins. They continued this until the snout of the Hungarian was well roped, and then guided the wounded dragon back.

"…see, it's alright. Everything's fine…" Hermione suddenly realized Alin had been talking to her. How long he had been mumbling beside her, she didn't know. She looked at their locked hands. Her knuckles were white, and the tip of his fingers had a pale pink colour to them.

_How long have I been gripping his hand?_

She frowned, looking from him, and then back to Charlie and Jack, both of whom let out a loud 'WHOOP' as they steered the Hungarian away from the area and back to it's original pen, hollering happily at their success.

"Come on…" Alin said softly, "We better follow…at least we can see how they…" He paused, looking down at the dirt. "How they..." He coughed. "Treat injured dragons."

----------------------------------------------

"How the bloody 'ell did tha' Hebridean get into tha' area?" Jack growled for the hundredth time as he made his way out of the small medical tent. Charlie behind him. Hermione looked up faintly at them. Alin had his hand resting on her shoulder, trying to keep her calm.

She shook her head slightly, confused. "Hebridean?"

"That's what the black dragon was that was fighting the Hungarian… a Hebridean Black." They all turned their attention to Alin again, Charlie and Jack snarling slightly.

"Isn't that one of the fiercest dragons?" Hermione asked looking between them all. She wasn't sure who to direct her question at; the two dragon trainers who lived and worked with the creatures, or the male on her left who seemed to know more about the beast than she thought someone who disliked dragons should.

"Yea. One of the most violent." Charlie mumbled, glaring daggers at the Head of the Animal Protection Department.

Hermione looked at the large bandage that had been wrapped around his upper arm where he had made contact, very briefly, with the tail of the Hungarian.

Jack and Charlie had finally made their way to the medical tent after safely locking the Hungarian into a stall, and placing a sleeping drought on him. Of course they both had to wince a few times first before going, so that they, along with a few other trainers, had cleaned and wrapped the damaged neck of the Hungarian. Hermione had been shaking the whole time as they watched the two men work, blood on their arms and torsos. She wasn't sure if it was dragon blood or their blood, but she didn't want to know just yet. She had only stopped shaking when they had finally pushed open the medical tent flaps.

"How's your injuries?" She asked, her voice faint.

"Fine. Petty stuff, had worst." Charlie said shortly, wrinkling his nose slightly as he pushed past the two and headed, once again over to the fence.

"Jack?" Hermione asked after a breif pause, trying to mask the fact that she had been scared to death about Charlie. Jack was smirking as if he already knew she could care less about him at the moment.

"Ah I'm fine. I jus' wanna know how the heck tha' Hebridean got into the Horntail's territory."

"It should have more space." Alin said, causing Charlie to stop dead in his tracks. Hermione almost walked into the redhead. "A Hebridean requires an area of a hundred square miles for it's territory."

"Well it **would **have a hundred square miles Rickmond…" Hermione thought Charlie's voice was far too sweet and forced at the moment for her liking, so she stepped back slightly as he continued. "Only problem is, we don't **have** an extra area of a hundred square miles for each Hebridean. You see the Ministry ripped off the reserve a couple years ago, making it smaller you see." He turned his head slowly to face Alin, a small smile on his face to match the sweetness in his voice. His blazing eyes gave him away though, and Hermione thought breifly that he looked like he was ready to explode. "Once again, if you had read my letters, you would have known that. That reason, afterall, is why you're here. To see that we really **do** need more space. You see _**Rickmond**_ we're not lieing when we say the dragons need more room. You saw what just happened. We can't keep any more because they're going to tear eachother apart if you pile any more dragons up in one area." His voice was rising and his temper flaring. "So if the ministry would get off their arses and give us back the land they took, plus the original area we had been requesting at the time, we wouldn't have this problem you see…"

Hermione looked pleadingly at Jack, silently begging him to interfere before Charlie snapped. He wore an amused look on his face however as he watched the two. Hermione glared at him and he rolled his eyes, hissing a "Spoil-sport" at her before standing. "Oi! Well…I think I'm gonna head off ter tha Hatchlin' centre again…Check how Cappy is." He smirked at Hermione's expression before waving slightly at Charlie and turning back towards the Hatchlings..

_How could he leave me here alone with these two?_

She watched him angrily, and then turned back to the men who were now face to face, glaring at each other. They both had one hand on their stored wands, and Hermione bit her lip hoping nothing would happen. That's all she need right now was a fight between the two.

"Look _**Weasley**_ I didn't have anything to do with the bloody cut-back on land…"

"Well you sure as hell didn't have anything to do with trying to make it right _**Rickmond**_!"

"If I'm not mistaken, I seem to be at the reserve right now, trying to figure out the problem."

"I already told you the problem, and if Hermione here hadn't come along to Romania, we wouldn't be at this stage. _**She's**_ the one who read my letters."

"So then we can thank Hermione if you get this land back, not you… I'll keep that in mind when I tell your director anything."

"If it wasn't for me, Hermione wouldn't be here in the first place." Charlie growled. This jolted Hermione.

_Oh please don't tell him why I'm here Charlie... not yet..._

Alin raised an eyebrow slightly at the man who was glaring at him with a knowing smirk.

"Ok both of you! Stop it!" She shrieked. She still didn't want Alin to know **who** she had came to Romania for, and if she let Charlie continue, she was pretty sure he'd find out. "I've had enough! Ever since I've seen the two of you together, you've been at each other's throats!" The two men looked at her slightly taken aback. "What the heck is going on between you? You're grown men for goodness sake! The least you can do is **act **like it! Now, there's obviously a rivalry here, and I'm pretty sure the whole problem is rooted before this whole land claim thing started, but I know for a fact that you used to be able to get along together. So I swear, if you don't tell me now what's up…" She trailed off.

_You'll what?_ That annoying voice asked her again. 

_I'll… I'll… I don't know…I hadn't gotten there yet…_

"Look, just tell me what's up. It'll help you both to talk about it. And you have to work through this because you're letting a little rivalry come between your professionalism…" She trailed off again taking a deep breath. "Look, I'm not saying you have to be friends, or even **like** each other," They both snorted, then turned to glare at each other accusingly as if the other had no right to make the same sound. "But for every one else's sakes… for the **dragon's** sakes… you need to work this out so you can at least carry a civil conversation without tearing out each other's throats like a couple of loose dragons! OK?" She took a deep breath and looked between Charlie and Alin. Charlie smirked again.

"What _**Rickmond**_, you didn't tell your **co-worker** about our past yet?"

"What's there to tell _**Weasley**_? That you're a selfish arse?"

"No. That you're an overprotective…"

"Don't start…" Alin growled.

"Arrogant prat…"

"I'm warning you Weasley…"

"Who drive's people away?"

Alin tugged his wand out the same time as Charlie, but he didn't fire. Instead he let the redhead throw him back onto the ground with a quick flash of light.

"Obviously you're reflexes have dropped again Rickmond." Charlie growled as Hermione gasped and went to help Alin up. He pointed his wand at Charlie, but didn't try to attack him.

"Take it back _**Weasley**_. You know damn well I didn't drive her away! You did!"

"I did!? How the heck did** I** drive her away Alin?"

"If it wasn't for you…"

"**You're** the one who went and shipped her off to who knows where!"

"I did it to **protect** her…"

"You had no right to send her away! She was happy here!"

"Oh please! I knew her better than you did! I know what would have happened if she had stayed here."

"What!? Enlighten me, because the only thing I can think of, is that she would have been happy!"

"Happy? Or dead perhaps?"

Charlie scoffed. "You know, she deserves a lot more credit than you give her credit for!"

"Why do you still do that? Yell at me to give her more credit. Look, she knows that **I **did what was best for her. And at least she writes to me sometimes. Which is a lot more than we can say about you I'm sure!"

"Oh please! The only reason she was mad at me was because I socked you a couple times. And don't try to tell me she was all happy about getting sent away from Romania! She hated it!"

"It was for her own good!"

"No, it was to make **you** happy! You hated that her and I got along so good! That she had someone else she would turn to for advice, or for a shoulder to cry on."

"I didn't want her to get hurt here… and I sure as hell didn't want **you** to hurt her."

"So instead you hurt her… broke her heart, tearing her away from what she loved!"

"**Don't…** you **dare…** accuse me of hurting her. I lov-"

"I never would have hurt her. And you know that! Her and I were best friends **_Rickmond_**! And you **hated** that! That's why you ruined her life!"

Alin looked like he could curse Charlie into oblivion, but he instead turned to Hermione. "I think we're done here. When you get back to the office, tell Carmelia to owl me if I have any important messages, if not I'll get to them tomorrow. I have something else I have to do right now." He glared again at Charlie, a small smirk forming on his lips before he turned back to Hermione. "I'll pick you up at 7:45… for Lenuta's… is that ok?"

"Sure." She mumbled softly, trying to smile at him, but as soon as the word was out of her mouth, he disappeared with a 'pop'. Hermione looked back at Charlie in disbelief.

"What the hell was that about?"

"What, you mean you didn't catch all that?" Charlie mumbled, shoving his wand back in his pocket, still glaring at the spot Alin had previously occupied.

"I don't exactly know what you two were doing, but you didn't have to curse him." Charlie snorted again, still glaring, as if Alin would appear again any second. "He wasn't going to attack you. I could see it in his face."

Charlie snorted yet again and rolled his eyes slightly. "You never know."

Hermione was quiet for a minute. "Who is she?"

"Who?"

"Who you were talking about? Who else?"

Charlie turned to her and studied her face silently. He turned his back and started making his way towards Jack who had been watching from the Hatchling Center. "I have work to do, why don't you ask _**Alin **_tonight on your **date**."

"But…"

"It's good to see that you can move on so fast Hermione." He mumbled. His voice was still angry, but there was more emotion laced through it… could it be, hurt?

"**I **moved on too fast? Gee, we were only taking a break and you already had a little slut back in your apartment."

"I tried to tell you Hermione… Irena…"

Hermione disapparated with 'pop' before he could finish.

-------------------------------------------------------

**NOTE:  
****bună ziua: Good Day**

**Domn: Mister **

**Nu: No**

**Tu eşti mergi la a fi tîrziu: You are going to be late.**

**foarte bine, Mulţumesc: Okay, thank you.**

**Aşa îi trebuie!: Serves her right**

**Adio: Goodbye**

**Baftă de cu dragons şi Charlie: Good Luck with the dragons and Charlie.**

**Cine eşti** **tu?: Who are you?**

**Captivant: Breath-taking**

**--------------------------------------------------------**

**Again, sorry for the wait…hope it was worth it though!**

**Thanks to all my awesome reviewers!!!  
****  
Lixa Levine:) Glad you like the story. I LOVE your stories…they're awesome! Don't worry, Irena will be all explained in good time…now…go update your story! LOL**

**Erytha: I'm guessing you don't like Alin! LOL**

**Hotkat144: Thank-you!**

**I r e n ii: You mean you didn't put the s??? Huh…that's funny. You keep complaining, I'm not putting complainers in my story. Don't worry, you'll be in it a lot more…just not yet. :P**

**qt4good: Haha…good guess. Close, but not quite. :P I'm glad you like my stories though:)**

**sarahyyy: You're like the first person who thinks Alin's charming. LOL**

**Mimi The Witch: Alin's been soothing…lol….glad you like it. Alin is a nice character, so what if him and Hermione hook up??**

**kiwi-messer: A train eh? Well I MIGHT consider that….you really are evil you know! LOL How about this. At the END of the story, I'll let you hit him with a train or bus, or dive at him with an airplane…tie him up and use him for target practice…if you want. But I need him for now. Out of the sand and into Charlie's arms?? Hmm…sounds tempting… haha, and nice sucking up :P LOL**

**Snapehermionelover: Yet another favourite reviewer. Haha…see…Alin's not completely horrible! Just partially. Yea, she'd pretty out of character without the brain…but she's heartbroken, and depressed and confused a bit.**

**ruchie-smooch: RUCHIE's HOME!!! YAY!!! -DANCES- How was your trip? Glad you like the update. :) And yes, I know, I'm a genious. You should know that from all our stories in History and Math class that we wrote…oh wait, YOU didn't write any…only Huma and I did. I give you credit. You are the **_**ONLY**_** person who looked up _Lenuta_. LOL**

**Sam's Firefly: I know… I know…not enough Charlie/Hermione yet! Sucks doesn't it. Don't worry, there will be some…a bit anyways. :P**

**whedonist19/Jayne-Ron-Leo: Glad you like the fic! I wanted Alin to help find the lost land.**

**FredWeasleyLover1126: Glad you like it:)**

**anna morgan: Aww, now I feel so good!!! It's been a rough day so YAY! I'm glad you like it!! Yea, I thought about having something happen…but not yet :D Maybe later. Yes, a moody Hermione DEFINATLY gives it an edge! Lol. Thanks for reviewing!! **

**nattt-tastic003:D I'm SO glad you like my stories! Don't worry, there SHOULD be SomE Charlie/Hermione coming up eventually :P Thanks for reading!**

**CaramelBoost: No, you know it's turning into a Soap Opera when people start coming back from the dead. And Hermione finds out her dad had an affair and Charlie's really her half brother. And Charlie doesn't like Alin because Alin and him are secretly twins that look nothing alike. THEN it's a soap opera! LOL 16's a good age! I just turned 16 not too long ago. :D Maybe I'll throw in a bit of fluff for ya. MAYBE. LOL I'll defiantly keep you in mind for some smut writing:)**

**I read not write: Glad you like it!! Thanks for reviewing! Have I mentioned before that I like your name?**

**Pstibbons: Glad you like it. And thank you for reviewing!**

**IceAngel89: YAY. I was wondering where you said you were going again. :P Yea, I was thinking theother day, 'Gotta get Holly and Scott back into the story. Gotta get Holly and Scott back into the story.' So I'm glad you're coming back because now it gives me a big boost to bring Holly back:D Actually, it gave me an idea too :).**

**Libaka: Yea, I hope Hermione's a bit more in character now. :)**

**Lemonicelolly: Don't ruin it? LOL**

**Weasleytwinsarehott: Thank you:) I'm so glad you like the story!**

**Rupertgrintlovesmeandonlyme: Ok, there, I updated LOL (And nice name!)**

**Fahzzyquill: You want them to get together too? I'm glad you like it:)**

**Christy: Thanks for reviewing! Glad you like it!!**

**Siriusforeva: Thank you:)**

-----------------------------------------

**_COMING UP! _**

**_Oooh...who is she? How does Hermione and Alin's date go at Lenuta's? What's up with Irena? Don't worry Huma, you get you punch later on... And also, what happens when the family comes back into the picture... who's family? We'll have to wait and see now won't we..._**


	7. Flashbacks Over Dinner

W**HO WANTS TO HIT ALIN!!!! WHO WANTS TO HIT ALIN!?!?!? LOL**

**Well, hope you like the update! Sorry for the wait, and I hope the end is good, because I had to rush a bit to finish it last night. I knew I wouldn't have had time today to work on anything except reading over it. I have a dentist appointment, then I have to go to school to change my schedule, and then I have a job interview! So… enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: If you think I'm JK Rowling, or that I own any of the Harry Potter series… well then I'm flattered. But go get your head checked :P**

---------------------------------------

"Miss?"

_How dare he accuse me of moving on too fast!_

"Miss?"

_HE was the one who had a girl at his apartment when I got here._

"_**Miss!?"**_

_And then he says… hm? OH!_

"Sorry Dana. I was just thinking about…something."

"Are you ok Miss?"

"Me? Yea I'm fine… why?"

"Well there's been a weird noise coming from over there…" She pointed at Hermione's desk. "And I'm not too sure what it is, but, I don't think you seemed to notice it." She bit her lip slightly.

"What noise Dana? I don't hear a… oh!" She snapped her mouth shut. It sounded like a song.

_What song…? Whip It? Why is 'Whip It' playing? More importantly, WHO is playing 'Whip It'?_

"Miss?"

"Hm? Oh yes I hear it Dana…I just don't know where…"

"It's coming from your desk Miss…"

_I love this song! Now whip it! Into shape! Shape it up! Get straight! Go forward! Move a-_

"OH!" Hermione pulled the door of her drawer open suddenly as the song continued. "Sorry Dana, it's my cell phone, I completely forgot I had it here!" Hermione bobbed her head slightly as she opened the flap… waiting for the end of the line to open it.

_When a good time turns around. You must whip it-  
_

"Hello?" She paused.

_Who's ring tone was Whip It? Oooh! Holly!_

"Holly?"

"Hey hun!" Holly's voice called enthusiastically through the phone. She heard her friend laugh slightly and Hermione smiled as Dana backed out of the room.

"I'm guessing you're with Scotty?"

"Y-yesssssssss" She hissed and Hermione heard her slap his arm. "Stop it Scotty!" Hermione hid her laugh. "I'm on the phone!"

_Does she really think I can't hear that?_

"Hol? Say hi to Scotty for me."

"Sorry Hermione yea, he's being a pest. I'm putting you on speaker though. So how are you?"

_Horrible. Confused. Miserable. Ready to crumble any moment. And wanting to go home and hide under the blankets._

"Wonderful!" She finally got out. "I'm doing great…absolutely lovely here."

"Hermione, I've known you for how many years now? I can tell when something's bugging you."

Hermione heard Scotty in the background. His voice serious. "What's wrong? Has something happened? Has Charlie done something?"

_Yea, cheated on me. Yelled at me. Got in a fight with me. Accused **me **of moving on too fast... _

"Tell Scotty to calm down, everything's fine. I've just been a little busy lately, getting settled at the office."

_What a lie! You've been organized since day two!_

"So how are you and Scotty? Everything going ok?"

_Has Scotty proposed yet? Is that why you're calling all this way?_

"We're really good! That's actually why we're calling! We had an idea. While actually, Scotty had the idea."

"Uh-oh." Hermione said laughing slightly.

"Hey!"

Holly was giggling. "He said that it would be a good idea for him and I to go on a trip."

_Oh no!_

"Oh yea?" Hermione asked, her face falling.

"Yea. We thought we'd maybe go for a trip around Europe."

_Uh-oh_

"Uh-huh…"

"You know, Paris, Rome, Cairo, and we were thinking…maybe Romania."

_NO! No no no!! If they come here, they'll find out about Charlie! I can't handle that right now!_

"We thought maybe you could show us a few, magical areas… maybe a dragon." Her voice was so hopeful.

_If I was going out with Charlie, that would work. But I'm not. And now you want to come!? And… oh no… Scotty will beat Charlie to a pulp! AH!_

"Hermione?"

"Huh? Oh sorry Hol. That sounds… awesome! You guys will have fun. I'm um, not too sure about showing you dragon's, that's not exactly safe…"

"Oh. Yea, I guess it wouldn't exactly be safe."

_Oh come on. Don't use that voice!_

Hermione sighed. "Tell you what Holly. I'll see what I can do ok?"

_You'll see what you can do?_

"I'll… I'll talk to Charlie."

_How exactly do you plan on doing that?_

"We'll figure something out."

"Oh my gosh Hermione! Really!? That would be sooooooo **awesome**! I'd be your best friend forever!"

"Holly, I thought you already **were** my best friend forever?"

"Well… yea… but… you know what I mean!"

"Mhmm."

"So how is Charlie anyways?"

_Not talking to me. I'd say he's in a bad mood, but I don't really know, we haven't talked much since I got here. Especially not about feelings._

"He's…good. Doing alright, working long hours with the dragons. He's working in the hatchling centre this week… so he has longer hours…"

"I bet he was surprised to see you!"

_Surprised? Definitely! Happy? Not so much._

"Very surprised. He wasn't expecting me at all." She bit her lip to stop from saying more to Holly while Scotty was still on the phone. "So, how are mum and dad… and Tim and Rucha? Are they still there?"

There was silence on the other end for a while, and then Scotty spoke up. "Ah you know what mum's like. She won't let Rucha leave now that she's here. Wants to be around when the baby's born. Says even if Rucha's not due yet, it could happen anytime. Dad really took a liking to her didn't he?"

"Yea." Hermione said bitterly.

_Dad liking Rucha more than Charlie is what started this whole mess._

"Are you ok Hermione? You seem distracted. Is something wrong?"

_There goes that overprotective brother again._

"No, I'm ok Scotty! Never been better. Just, busy." She looked at the clock.

_Oh crap! It's 7:15. _

"Look Scotty, Holly, I have to go. I'm supposed to meet Alin at 7:45 and I still need to get home and change and all that. So I'll talk to you when you get here."

There was a brief pause as Hermione started gathering her stuff. "Sure, we'll talk to you when we get to Romania! Oh Hermione! Can you give me a way to contact Ginny before you hang up? I wanted to ask her something." Holly cut in before Hermione could hang up.

"Umm…yea, hold on. Harry has a cell phone; just let me find his number. I'll call you back in like five minutes."

"Ok Hun."

She hung up and grabbed her jacket and the papers off her desk. She said good-bye to Dana as she dashed out of the office and onto the elevator, searching her phone for Harry's number. It wasn't hard to find, considering she only had Holly, Scotty, Tim, Mom, Dad, and Harry on her contact list. She dashed to the apparation point and, phone still in hand, apparated home.

She called Holly back as she sorted through her clothes to find something to wear. She gave her friend Harry's number, and then paused, looking at three different outfits.

"Hey Hol… before you go. What colour looks better on me? Navy Blue, Ruby Red, or Black?"

Holly was quiet. "What's the occasion?"

"Dinner."

"Fancy restaurant?"

"I'm not sure. I've never been there."

"What's it called?"

"Lenuta's."

"Sounds fancy."

"I guess."

"Umm… Blue or Red. What's the outfit?"

"Black skirt, blue halter with silver sequins. Or White flared skirt with red tank-top…you know the one we bought last year?"

"Ohh um… blue and black."

"You sure?"

Holly was quiet again. "Yea……Hey Hermione…"

"Hmm?"

"……Never mind. Have fun tonight. And thanks for the number."

Hermione could sense the worry in Holly's voice. "Hol…what's up?"

"It's just… are you sure everything's ok with you and Charlie?"

Hermione paused. Her arm outstretched in front of her… still holding the blue top at arms length.

_Where did I get this shirt again. I know it's new. Why haven't I worn it before?_

"Huh? Oh… yea…yea we're fine. Look I've got to go. I'll talk to you later!" She hung up the phone before Holly could say anything else and then breathed out a sigh of relief and headed to the shower.

_That was close…think she suspects anything?_

_Why should she?_

_She knows you're going to dinner…_

_But she doesn't know who I'm going with. She'll think it's Charlie…_

_Think again. What did you say in the office? When you realized the time?_

_I said 'I have to go. I'm supposed to meet Alin at 7:45 and I still need to get home and' – OH CRAP!_

_Exactly._

_They probably didn't even hear…_

_Whatever makes you feel better. Now why do you think they want to get in touch with Ginny?_

_Could be lots of reasons._

_Name five._

…_they became friends… Ginny's fun to talk to……_

_That's two._

_Shut up. You name some._

_They could want to ask Ginny about Charlie… They know Ginny would know if something happened…_

_Shut up!_

As she climbed out of the shower and started pulling on her clothes, she heard a knock at the door.

"Just a minute!" She called, magicing her hair up off her face. She ran to the door and opened it slowly. "Alin! Hi. I'm so sorry; I'm running a little late. Got tied up at the office."

"That's ok." He said smiling. "Reservations are at 8:00, so we have some time."

She dashed back into the washroom, gesturing at a chair for him to sit in on her way out. "This isn't too dressy is it?" She called as she dashed into the other room. She pulled her hair down and tried three more upstyles.

"Nope. You look great." He called from his chair. Hermione slapped on some make-up quickly. She hated it, but she decided it wouldn't hurt. She looked up in the mirror and gasped slightly.

_This is the shirt I bought when I went to town with Charlie..._

She bit her lip, and after checking her reflection twice, and changing her hair back to the original bun she had it in, she went back out to meet Alin.

"Sorry about that…" She said, looking at him on the sofa. He wore a turquoise button down, and black dress pants. He smiled and stood up as she came into the room.

"You look great." He said smiling at her even more.

"Thank-you. You don't look too bad yourself. Shall we." She gestured to the door.

"Actually, do you mind if I use the loo first. Please."

Hermione chuckled. "The loo? Yea, sure… it's right there. I didn't think anyone still said 'the loo'."

When he was done, he gestured at the door. She smiled as he led her out into the hall, where the two apparated to a small, ivy covered, stone restaurant. There were tables set up outside on the patio, and as Hermione neared, she smiled at the wonderful smells that reached her nose.

Alin led her inside and her smile grew. The walls were the same stone as the outside, minus the beautiful green ivy. Small lanterns lined the walls, giving the restaurant a comfy glow. Small wooden tables were set up around the room, and at the front of the restaurant, an archway, covered in ivy, sat, glowing slightly in the lantern light.

"Bună seară" The hostess said as they approached the small booth she stood at. "Do you have a reservation?"

"Da. Rickmond." Alin said. "And could we have an English speaking waiter?"

"Da." The hostess led them to a small table near the large, picture window. Alin pulled Hermione's chair out for her and she sat down with a smile.

"Thank-you." Alin said as the hostess handed them each a menu and then disappeared. Hermione opened it up and was glad to see that everything was written in both Romanian, and English.

"This is a lovely restaurant." She said as she scanned over the items on the menu. She frowned. "Everything's so expensive…"

"Don't worry about that. Get whatever you like."

_Did I say that out loud?_

"Sorry…I didn't realize I said that out loud." Hermione blushed.

"That's ok." Alin said, turning the page. "I'm serious though. Don't worry about the prices." He took her menu from her and, under the table, waved his wand at it. "Here." He handed it back to her, and Hermione looked at the menu. All of the prices had been wiped out.

"Alin!"

"Now, order whatever you think sounds good."

"But…" She sighed angrily. "Fine." She now set about searching the menu for what **_sounded_** the cheapest. "So…how was the rest of your day?"

Alin continued looking over his menu before finally answering. "It was alright." The two sat in silence while they decided what they wanted to eat. They placed their orders when the waitress came over, and well they sipped on their drinks, Alin broke the silence. "So, you went to Hogwarts, correct?"

"Yes."

"It's a good school."

"Where did you go to school?"

"In America. I doubt you know the school."

"Try me."

"Stalin's Sorcerers Sanctuary. It's one of-"

"One of the first schools of Witchcraft and Wizardry that opened in America. If I'm correct, it's an all boys school. It takes in it's students at age ten, and they stay for eight to nine years, depending on how fast they can learn. Oh, and it's 'sister' school is Miss Malkins School for Magical Maiden's."

"Impressive. Not many people know much about the different schools."

"I've read about it. I researched a lot of things when I was in school. And the different types of schools really interested me. Especially in my fourth year when we had the Triwizard Tournament. I wanted to know as much as I could about the different schools."

Alin's face faltered slightly when she mentioned the tournament. "I can't believe you remembered it though."

"I seem to remember small facts like that."

He laughed. "So this Triwizard Tournament. I understand it had something to do with dragons…but what else?"

"Oh. Well there's three tasks, and three participating schools. Hogwarts hosted it in my fourth year. For the first task, the competitors…one from each school, except my friend Harry, someone put his name in the cup and he was drawn as a fourth competitor, even though he was underage and Hogwarts already had a competitor. Cedric." She paused biting her lip. "Anyways, the first task was to get a golden egg from the nest of a dragon. Harry faced the Hungarian Horntail. Cedric faced a Swedish Short-snout, Fleur a Common Welsh Green, and Viktor Krum faced a Chinese Fireball."

"The Viktor Krum?" Alin asked, his eyebrows rising.

"Yes." Hermione said bitterly. "So that was the first task. Then the second, they took someone who meant something to all of the competitors, and we were placed under a spell and left with the merpeople."

"We?"

"Yes. I was there…one of the four."

"For Harry?"

"No." She bit her lip again. "Krum. We went out for a bit. But that's history." She waved her hand dismissively. "The third task was a maze. But it went all wrong." She launched into the story of the Triwizard tournament, and during the course of their conversation, their dinner showed up. "So, that's pretty much it." She said laughing slightly and raising her fork.

"Wow." Alin said, "You sure went through a lot with your friends that year."

She swallowed. "You have no idea. Over our seven years at Hogwarts, we went through more than the average person goes through in two lifetimes."

Alin laughed, choking slightly on his potatoes. "At least your friends were there with you."

"More like me and Ron were there for Harry. The poor guy went through so much."

They continued there meal before Hermione thought of something. "Hey Alin. Are there such a thing as dragon tours?"

His face fell. "Dragon tours."

_Ok, maybe he's not the best person to ask._

She bit her lip. "Yea, like, tours of the reserve. You see I kind of told my brother and his girlfriend that when they come here, I'd try and get them in to see the dragons."

"You have a brother?"

"Yea. Two."

"Oh." He shifted slightly in his seat. "To be honest I don't think there are. Especially for muggles. Why'd you tell them that before you found out?"

"I-" as if on cue the music went off.

'_Whip it! Into Shape! Shape it up! Get Straight! Go Forward! Move Ahead! Try to detect it!'_

"What -" Hermione dug through her bag. "Sorry Alin. It's my phone. My friend… brother's girlfriend. I just have to check and make sure everything's ok, they don't usually call me unless it's important."

She grimaced at some of the looks she was getting from the surrounding people who seemed to be enjoying the calm, classical music that had been playing in the background.

"Holly? What's up? Is everything ok?"

"Hermione Jane Granger!"

Hermione frowned. "What?"

"How dare you!"

"How dare I what Hol?" She frowned apologetically at Alin who shrugged slightly as she turned sideways in her chair.

"How dare you **_what_**. You know exactly **_what_** I'm talking about."

"Holly is this important? I'm kind of in the middle of something…"

"Yea a date with another man who's not Charlie!" Hermione froze. Thankful Alin couldn't hear her friend as she continued. "I talked to Ginny. She said you and Charlie were going through a rough patch."

Hermione snorted slightly. "Rough patch. Yea sure, let's call it that…"

"Ginny said you haven't even given the guy a chance to explain anything! Do you remember what happened last time you did that!?!?!?"

"Holly you weren't here. There's nothing to explain. Now can I call you back later." She sent Alin a small smile, "Like I said I'm in the middle of-"

"No! We're going to talk about this now! Tell me exactly what happened."

"Now's not the time Holly…"

"Hermione…"

Hermione sighed. She'd already told Alin this part. She just hadn't given him a name. "I went to see him. There was another girl there. Ok, happy?"

Holly was quiet. "Another girl?" Hermione had to strain her ears to here her friend. "He had a… another girl?"

Hermione suddenly jumped as Scotty's voice rang through the phone. "HE **CHEATED** ON YOU!!!"

"Scotty relax."

"That ba-"

"**Scotty!** Enough! Look, forget about it ok. I… I have."

_YEA RIGHT!_

"Hermione…I… I'm so sorry! Ginny didn't know that. She didn't say that. I… look maybe you should still let him explain-"

Scotty cut his girlfriend off. "No! No explaining! I'll kick his arse. Look, we've already booked the trip. We're going to Paris first. We'll be there for four days. Then we're going over to Romania for a week. So we'll see you then ok? And I swear. I'll find out where he lives and… oh ho ho ho… wait until **Tim** hears about this…Charlie's going to wish he was never bo-"

"Scotty no! You can't tell Tim. You can't say anything to anyone else!"

"Hermione this scumbag lied to all of us. He said he-"

"No Scotty. I kind of… broke it off with him before he left anyways. Sort of."

"Sort of?" Holly asked in the background.

"I said we should maybe… take a break. We were going to work it out next time he came home. But look. You guys can't say anything to anyone ok! I wouldn't have said anything if I knew Scotty was there. But look. You can't tell Dad, or Mum, or…especially… Tim. Got it?"

She heard a mumble on Scotty and Holly's end of the phone.

"Scotty… do you understand. No one. I'm a big girl and I can handle myself. I know what I'm doing." She suddenly caught a glimpse of Alin who was staring at her with a slight look of hurt in his eyes. She tried smiling apologetically at him.

"Fine Hermione. But I swear when I get to Romania…"

"Thank you Scotty. See… there's a reason you're my favourite brother." She laughed dryly, but got nothing in return. "Ok guys, look I have to go now ok…I'll tal-"

"So who's this guy?"

"What?"

"Who's this **Alin** guy your with. Is he nice. How old is he? Is he closer to your age. Does he know you have brothers…?"

Hermione rolled her eyes to herself. "You know Scotty. Even from a good couple thousand miles away, you're still too overprotective of me."

"You're my baby sister…"

"I'm not a baby Scotty. Tell everyone I said 'hi'. And I'll talk to you both later." She hung up quickly before they could start talking about something else. "Sorry. They just found out some things and…yea." She adverted her gaze as she put her phone away. "I don't mean to be rude."

"It's… it's ok." Alin was still looking at her oddly. "Your brother?"

"Yea." She said dryly, looking back at her dinner. "Him and his girlfriend Holly. She's one of my best friends."

"I'm guessing they're also trying to convince you to give Charlie a chance to explain himself."

"Ye-" Hermione's head snapped up.

_Looks like he knows._

Alin was staring at her. She bit her lip. "How long have you known that I came to Romania to see Charlie?"

"Not too long. I got a little suspicious when you suddenly jumped at the chance of helping the dragons after he came to talk to you. But I shrugged it off, figured you just wanted to help out the dragons. Then I remembered reading in the papers that Harry Potter's best friends were you and **Ronald Weasley**. You really blew it at the reserve though when you kept slipping up and calling him 'Char' or 'Charlie'."

She bit her lip looking down a bit. "The only reason I didn't say anything was because I know you don't get along with him very well. And I didn't want it to effect our re-…friendship."

He nodded understandingly. Hermione suddenly looked up. "Wait a minute. What did you mean by 'they're **also** trying to convince me to give Charlie a chance to explain'? Also?"

Alin looked down and Hermione realized he was pulling something out of his pocket. She recognized it as the paper she had seen him reading earlier that day in his office. The one he had really been concentrating on before going to the reserve. "I must have picked this up last night when I was gathering some of the maps. I'm nosy. So I read it this morning. It's from your friends… about Charlie."

As Hermione took her letter from him, she saw a slight blush creep up his face. "So that's why you were in such a bad mood this morning."

"Well partially. That and also we had been talking about Prinţesă."

She sent him a quizzical look but he didn't seem to notice.

"So Charlie's the bloke who broke your heart when you came here?"

"You sound like my brother." Her head dropped and she missed the look of pain that crossed Alin's face at her last words. "Yea. We… we had hooked up at the beginning of summer when he came to visit his family…I was there." A smile flitted across her face as she remembered the night.

**- - - - - FLASHBACK - - - - - **

"_Charlie… There's something I wanted to do since I first saw you get off that train." She leaned in closer to him, when he felt her put her arms on his shoulder he spun to look at her. He licked his lips._

_She pulled herself up to his face and ran her tongue along his lips. He shivered. She pulled away and smiled. "It just looks so good when you do it."_

_He wrapped his strong arms around her waist and pulled her closer. Before she knew it his mouth covered hers and his tongue was begging for entry into her mouth. She parted her lips and felt his tongue rush past them. She bit slightly and he moaned, pushing her back to the tree._

**- - - - - END FLASHBACK - - - - - **

She looked back up at Alin. "We hooked up the night he came here actually. My brothers put him through hell and back when they found out. Before he came back to Romania. We had a little fight and… well. I told him we should take a break. Then when I got here… he didn't know I was coming. Well, when I got here… I found a girl…" Tears had sprung to her eyes again. "It's just. We had gone through a fair bit already. And I didn't think he would have… I mean, he was really upset when we broke it off. And I was stupid to break it off. I told him he was jealous of my brother's wife, whom my family only found out about, and met, this month. And she's five months pregnant. Been married for six months. Anyways. My brothers…and father, kind of… tortured him I guess you could say. I was after all, the baby girl of the family…" She trailed off.

**- - - - - - FLASHBACK - - - - - -**

"_TIM! SCOTTY! What the HECK are you doing, TIM GET THAT LIGHT OFF CHARLIE NOW!" Tim flinched as Hermione started yelling and he flicked off the lamp. Charlie blinked at Hermione who was standing in the hallway, extremely ticked. "WHAT are you doing?" She asked again, her parents appeared beside her. She sent an evil glare at her dad who looked completely amused._

"_We were just having a friendly little conversation with Charlie, why are you here anyways?" Tim said innocently._

"_I…" Hermione blinked as her father turned to look at her. "I just went to the washroom, and was heading to get a drink," she held up the glass she was carrying. "And I heard talking so I came to listen and see what Scotty and Charlie were talking about and then I heard TIM's voice and I had to find out why HE was here."_

"_Just a friendly convo."_

"_Sure it was Tim, why did you have Charlie under the lamp light then."_

_Tim hesitated, "We were doing this thing, instead of a talking stick, you use a talking light." How stupid did he think she was?_

**- - - - - - END FLASHBACK - - - - - - **

"Do you know I **actually** caught them the first night shining a light in his face. Drilling him."

Alin smirked slightly at this but as Hermione launched into the story about hers and Charlie's stay at the Granger houshold, his face fell again and he continued staring at her.

She took a deep breath as she finished, tears in her eyes. "So after all that, I told him we should take a break. And we were going to patch things up next time he came to visit, but I thought I'd surprise him and come here so we could work through it sooner…and you know the rest. I felt so bad about it. I mean, he had every right to be upset that Rucha was accepted so much more faster than he was…right?"

Alin sighed as the waitress came to gather their empty dishes so she could bring them their dessert. "If I was in **_Weasley's_** situation, I probably would have reacted the same way. But I think he may have over-reacted a little bit…" Hermione looked down at her dish. Alin shook his head as he continued. "But you know I don't like the guy that much, and this is coming from an awfully overprotective brother. So I doubt it means much."

Hermione chuckled slightly, wiping at her tears. "I doubt that you're as bad as my brothers."

Alin's face fell again, even as the ice cream was placed in front of him. He bit his lip. "Trust me. I'm the worst, overprotective brother there is."

"Did you ever guard your sisters boyfriends like they were in prison. Or ever make up a list of things they could or couldn't do?" She zoned out again…

**- - - - - - FLASHBACK - - - - - -**

"_I have to go reply to Ginny's letter," Hermione whispered leaning into Charlie. "But tomorrow, I can show you around the neighbourhood a bit more if you like." He nodded and rested his forehead against hers. "I'm sorry about everything downstairs. That list is just ridiculous, but as sorry as I feel for Holly, it goes for her and Scotty too. She promised me on the phone earlier that she would help us, and with her help I'm sure Scotty will come around soon too." She sighed and leaned in for a kiss. _

_When they broke a few minutes later he whispered. "It's worth it. I love you 'Mione."_

"_I love you too Char." She kissed him again before going back to her room. _

**- - - - - - END FLASHBACK - - - - - - **

Hermione bit her lip. "Honestly they had things like 'no holding hands', and 'no hugging'." She looked up at Alin who was mixing his ice cream a bit. He obviously didn't want to talk to Hermione about Charlie. "Look Alin I'm sorry. I know you don't want to hear this."

He shook his head slightly. "No, it's alright. It's sort of a newsflash for me." He looked up at her curious look. "You know…earlier today, Weasley and I were arguing. I doubt you figured out who or what we were arguing about."

"No. All I figured was that it was a girl you both cared deeply about." Hermione said, frowning at the thought. "I assumed a past girlfriend or something…"

"No!" Alin said quickly. He laughed at the thought. "Definitely not my girlfriend." His face crinkled up. Then he saw Hermione's face fall even more. "She wasn't Charlie's girlfriend either. Just a really good friend." He watched Hermione's face brighten a bit. "No, they were more like you and Harry probably are."

"Oh."

"Her name was Prinţesă…"

"Your sister?"

"Yea. So trust me when I say this. Your brothers are just looking out for you. They just want what's best for you Hermione, and sometimes, we don't always take in our sisters' feelings. Trust me when I say, it could be a **_lot _**worst. I convinced my parents to send Prinţesă back to America to live with our aunt."

"You didn't!"

"I did."

"Why!?"

Alin let out a sigh. "Our family moved back to Romania just after I graduated. It took us about half a year to settle in, and Prinţesă and me had both started looking for jobs. I was 19, and she was 21. Now, Prinţesă and I had always been close. Even when we went to different schools, we saw each other almost every weekend. She told me **everything**. It's a little sad to say, but we were pretty much best friends. Our family believed in the whole 'family first' thing. They made sure we always stuck up for each other, and they raised us to trust each other. They always said, 'act like you're all you have in each others lives right now. Don't ever let anyone come between you and the bond you have.' Now that I'm older, and I think about it... it was a little too much. Anyways, she wandered into the reserve one day, thought it was amazing. I tried to talk her out of such a dangerous field, but she could care less. She thought it was thrilling. And for her training, she was partnered up with **_Weasley_** and his friend Jack. Jack had been working on the reserve for three years now. **_Weasley_** was 20, so it was his second year on the reserve. They were both really good at what they did though, so the director let them be in charge of training. Prinţesă hit it off fast with Charlie and Jack. She had always been good at making new friends, and this was no exception. They showed her around town, sometimes she'd talk them into letting me tag along, and that's how I first met them."

Hermione nodded, sipping on her cola as she watched Alin, he fidgeted slightly in his seat.

"We got along alright. Charlie kept to himself more, and Jack was always going off with some girl he met at whatever bar we were at. I stayed away from the drinks. I'd rather spend the time making sure my sister was alright and out of trouble." He laughed dryly. "Lame I know."

"No, not really. My brothers would probably be the same way…" Hermione couldn't help but think of Scotty while she listened to Alin's story. The first time she had ever gone to a party with Holly and Scotty, Scotty had spent more time with her than with Holly. He kept an eye on both of them, but he was more worried about who was talking to Hermione.

"Well. I ended up getting an internship at the Ministry, so usually, when Prinţesă had time off, I didn't, and vies versa. So I ended up seeing her less and less, and in turn, she ended up spending more and more time with Charlie. He pretty much made sure that she was doing what she needed to do on the reserve…taking all the precautions she needed to take. He took care of her, and in a way, raised her into a wonderful dragon trainer."

Hermione nodded, it sounded like something Charlie would do.

"Soon, whenever she came home, or whenever the family got together, all we heard about was 'what Charlie had taught her', 'what Charlie had done', 'what she had done with Charlie's help'. It was always about Charlie. I guess in a way, I was jealous. She had a new best friend. And I was still struggling to make more friends in the ministry. Then there were the few occasions she **would** ask me for advice on something, and I'd tell her, only to hear something like 'oh really? Because Charlie thinks…' It stung even more when I found out she usually, almost always, followed _**Charlie**_'s advice. Then she stopped telling me things. She had mentioned before some things that had been bugging her, and when I asked her about it, she told me not to worry about it, that 'Charlie was helping her with it', and I didn't have to worry about it. She'd pretty much replaced me with **_Weasley_**. Sure she wrote every once in a while, but again, her letters **always** had something to do with _**Charlie**_. It was three years after she had been working on the reserve, when we were getting together for Christmas dinner. I hadn't seen her in about two months because we had both been so busy, I was moving up the ladder fast… soon I would be head of the department. Well, I was thrilled to see her, but then **_Weasley_** came in the door behind her. I panicked. Now she had brought him to Christmas dinner. I glared at him all night, and both he, and Prinţesă noticed. She confronted me afterwards, and the two of us had a big row. I accused her of going out with him, and that it was unethical… that they worked together and shouldn't be in a relationship…"

Hermione laughed out loud at this point, looking around the restaurant she had come to with her co-worker.

"I was a lot weirder than ok." Alin said smirking at her. "That was a big no-no at the time. Anyways. She told me… said I was butting into places she didn't want me to butt into. Then she left and went back to the reserve. I felt bad, so I tried to talk with her, invited her to the New Years Dance at the Ministry, and said if she wanted, she could bring _**Charlie**_. She did." Alin took a mouthful of ice cream, as if remembering the dance. Then he continued the story. "I tried to get along with him, but Prinţesă still talked about him too much for my liking. We weren't that mean to each other, but it's not like I started a friendly conversation with him every time I saw him. I put up with the guy for almost two years, they were friends, I understood that. And besides, Prinţesă had a couple different boyfriends over those two years, so I didn't worry **_too_** much about him."

He took a drink, and Hermione took the opportunity to register everything he had said so far.

"Well, she came to dinner one day, with _**Charlie**_ of course, and I heard her arguing with my mum. She was telling mum that everything was ok. She had been wrong. I didn't know what she was talking about, so I asked her later. She said it was just some business with Bart, her last boyfriend. When I pressed the matter, she gave Weasley this weird look and told me not to worry about it. I talked to my mum later that night and she said Prinţesă had been nervous that Bart might have gotten her pregnant, and mum was surprised she hadn't confined in me. Apparently this was like, the third pregnancy scare she had had. I flipped and went straight to the reserve. I had her in tears practically, yelling about it. Weasley showed up at one point and I told him to leave, like ten people were staring at us. I told Prinţesă that we used to be close. That we had talked about everything in the past. Now she had come to the reserve and didn't say a word to me anymore. When I stormed out Charlie confronted me. Said I was in her face too much. Kept bugging her about matters she didn't want to talk about. That I had no business in her life. She was 26 years old, I was only 24, she knew what she was doing, and she didn't need to tell her little brother everything…"

**- - - - - - FLASHBACK - - - - - -**

"_Oi! Alin!"_

_As Alin stormed away, he turned to the redhead who was coming up behind him, breaking apart from the small group that had formed around __Prinţesă and him__. "What do you want **Weasley**?"_

"_What the hell was all that about? She's your sister, and you have her in tears!"_

"_Yea she's **my** sister. That's what it was about! **I'm** her brother Charlie, not you. Her and I have always been close. These last two years, it's like I don't even exist. You heard her just now, she could care less if I was her brother right now…"_

"_Yea 'cause she's pissed you just told her off in front of everyone."_

"_Well if she had kept in contact with me I wouldn't have had to. I don't get to talk to her anymore like I used to…"_

"_She's 26 Alin… she can take care of herself. She doesn't need her little 24 year old brother telling her what to do."_

"_Oh and the 22 year old stranger can?"_

"_I'm not a stranger Alin. I'm her friend. You don't know what she went through when she first moved onto the reserve. She missed talking to you, but you were always busy at the office. So she talked to me. I can't help it if we're friends now…"_

"_More than friends you mean!"_

"_What? No! I don't think of her like that. She's just a friend."_

"_You don't want to go out with her… sleep with her…?"_

"_No!" Charlie backed up slightly. A look of shock on his face. "She's like a sister to me."_

"_Great." Alin mumbled. "You know she may not talk to me like she used to… but I can still tell she likes you."_

_Charlie looked down at the ground. "I know she does. But I don't think of her that way Alin."_

_Alin's temper flared. "Oh so now she's not good enough for you?"_

"_I never said that. But I've seen what she's like with guys and that, and I'm not that kind of guy."_

"_Oh so now you're saying she's a slut or something, and of course you would know that because she tells you all her intimate thoughts doesn't she?"_

_Charlie blushed._

"_She does, doesn't she!" Alin roared! "What the hell!! I used to be that person she came to for everything!"_

"_Well now you're not Alin. So you can stop being jealous."_

"_**JEALOUS**!"_

"_You heard me."_

"_Why should I be jealous of **you**!" Alin stopped as __Prinţesă approached. _

"_Alin…just go. Please. I don't want you fighting. Why can't you just get along with him!?!?"_

"_You're siding with __**him **__over me!"_

"_Yes Alin I am. Is that a problem?" _

"_What ever happened to family first? You were raised better than that Tess."_

"_Oh yes, raised that the most important person in my life is my little brother. Look Alin it was great when we were younger, and you were a great friend, but we're older now. And I like my friends here! They're like my new family, and __**we**__ watch out for each other. I don't need you to protect me anymore…"_

"_Tess… what the hell is wrong with you!?" Alin roared._

_She looked from Alin to Charlie, "This is where I want to stay, and these are the people I trust." She stepped back beside Charlie and took his hand. Charlie looked at it slightly confused, like he wasn't sure if he should pull away or not._

"_Look at his face Tess! He doesn't think of you like that! You're ruining your family connection for a guy who doesn't even care about you!"_

_Charlie's head snapped up at Alin. "I care about her." At the look on Prinţesă's face, he added a quick, "She's my best friend…"_

"_See Tess that's it! Best friend. Not, __**secret crush**__, not __**soul mate**__…best friend! Has he ever taken you to his place to meet __**his**__ family?"_

_Prinţesă glared at Alin, tears sliding down her face. "Go away! Just go away and don't come back Alin! If you want to fight over petty things like this…just __**go**__." She turned on her heal and Alin went to follow. Charlie stepped between him and her. _

"_You heard her. Get lost."_

_Alin swung out and before he knew what had happened. His fist made contact with Charlie's nose, a loud crack being heard. Alin stared at the nose bewildered. He had done it. He had punch him…"I've been wanting to do that for so long **Weasley**!"_

"_ALIN!" Prinţesă shrieked as she ran up beside Charlie. Jack had started towards Alin, who sent one last death glare at Charlie before apparating away._

**- - - - - - END FLASHBACK - - - - - -**

"You broke his nose?" Hermione asked shocked.

Alin smiled. "Yep. Ah, the only good thing from that night…" He smirked at Hermione's disapproving look.

"That couldn't have helped with your sister…"

"Oh hell no. That made thing's a thousand times worst…but I didn't stop there." Alin looked down at the tabletop as he continued. "I went straight to my mother and father. Told them that being on the dragon reserve was ruining Prinţesă. I told them what she had said to me. That the reserve was her new family. My parents didn't like that. They had raised us to always stick together… that family members were the most important people in one's life. So when I told them everything she said, they… mainly my father… freaked out. You see my parents had always been proud that Prinţesă and I were close… they always knew that if something were to happen to them, Prinţesă and I had eachother to turn to and depend on. Regardless, my father went and owled my aunt in America right away. Asked her if Prinţesă could live there with her. He knew that if she stayed in Romania, she would keep going back to the reserve. He arranged everything, then went straight to the reserve and pulled her out. He ordered her to America, and.. I know she fought to not go, but when my dad tells us to do something, you do it. In the end she went. She never spoke to me after that, she shunned me out. And within a week, she was gone." Alin looked up at Hermione. "I'm sorry… you must really think I'm a spoiled brat, who, at age 24 runs to tattle on his big sister. This is why I didn't want to tell you in the first place…"

"No… don't worry about it. I can see why you were so upset. But she never talked to you again?"

"Well she did eventually… but it took time… a lot of time. It was almost two years before we started speaking again…"

"Alin, I'm so sorry. I don't think I could go that long without talking to my brother… either of them. And that's saying something, because they can be so annoying and idiotic, and…well. Yea… you get my drift."

Alin just shook his head smiling slightly at her. "Charlie was pissed though. I guess she was a really good trainer, and she was his best friend. He showed up at the office the day after she left. It was only about two weeks into my job, so even when the rest of my family went back to America, I stuck around here. My dad knew it was important…"

**- - - - - - FLASHBACK - - - - - -**

_"Sir, you can't just walk in-"_

_"You!" Charlie growled as he slammed the door behind him, right into the face of the blonde secretary._

_Alin looked up from his desk… more importantly, from a picture of him and Prinţesă when they were younger. When he saw who had rudely barged into his office, his face darkened. "What do you want **Weasley**?"_

_"What do I want? I want to know why **you** ruined your sisters life and sent her off to god knows where!"_

_"Why **I **ruined my sisters life? She ruined it. She had her priorities all wrong."_

_"What, because she trusted friends instead of you…?"_

_"Yes. Were you never raised to trust your family?"_

_Charlie's eyes darkened more than Alin thought was even possible. "I trust my family. My family is the most trusting family out there, we all know that we can trust eachother with everything. And after saying that, we would never turn our backs on **any** of our family members. We would never **backstab** them and then send them off to a foreign country. And you know what, even **if** one of them does turn their back on the rest of us, we would give them the space they needed to figure out their life… whether we were included in every second or not. They'd come around eventually."_

_"Well you couldn't have been raised that good, because you heard what Prinţesă said about me. To me. She could care less about me."_

_"She didn't really have a choice. And obviously you could care less about her because you got your father to send her back to America where she's miserable! Tell me Rickmond. If your family is so into the whole… 'never leave the family' and 'family is first' thing… why are you still here, when she's all by herself in America?"_

_"She's not by herself. My parents are there. And my dad understands that I worked hard to get to this spot. They aren't going to just pull me right out of my lifestyle…"_

_"But they can pull Prinţesă out of hers?!?!?"_

_"There's a dragon reserve in America **Weasley**…"_

_"A crummy one. And all her friends are here."_

_"No, **you're** here! But you could never give her what she wanted from you **Weasley** because she liked you. And when I say that, I mean as more than a friend."_

_"I know that **Rickmond**… "_

_"But does she?"_

_Charlie's face fell slightly and he looked down at the ground. "I talked to her the other night, after you blew up at her. After you left…"_

_"And what did she say?" Alin asked, a knowing smirk forming on his brow._

_"That's none of your business…"_

_"Oh so my **sister** is none of **my** business… but the relationship I have with her is **yours**?"_

_Charlie took a breath and glared at him. "She's my friend…"_

_"Who you haven't talked to in how many days now? My mum told me, you wrote her… and she doesn't reply. Prinţesă wants nothing to do with you anymore **Weasley**, you broke her heart."_

_"I never took it in the first place." Charlie growled, his temper flaring again._

_"Not intentionally. You just played with it. Flirted with her, came to dinner with her…"_

_Charlie pulled his arm back and it made contact with Alin's face. He turned and yanked the door open forcefully. It banged against the wall, creating a small dent where the door handle was. "That…" He called over his shoulder. "Was for my nose."_

**- - - - - - END FLASHBACK - - - - - -**

"He hit you?"

"I've never seen an eye bruise that fast…" Alin said, shaking his head. "Spent the rest of the day in my office. Wrote to my parents. I guess Prinţesă got worried, she sent a howler telling Weasley off. She was pretty shook up already, and when she found out he punched me… she flipped out. It actually surprised me that she stook up for me, but I think it was mostly an excuse to yell at him again. You see, the night I had gone to the reserve, they had talked after I left, she had told him up front that she liked him. He had told her he didn't think of her like that… she got mad, avoided him for the rest of the week until she left, so the howler was the first, and only, communication she had had with him since that night. I guess **Weasley** didn't like that, because they had been close friends. He kept writing to her... but he gave up eventually. Still sends her Christmas cards if I'm correct." Alin laughed dryly.

"So that's why you two don't get along…" Hermione said slowly. "I can see why… but if Prinţesă has moved on slightly… even if she's not talking to Charlie… maybe you two should start working things out…" she trailed off as the waitress brought them the bill. She went to grab it, but Alin swiped it first.

"Nice try." He said. "I already told you I'm paying." He looked down at the bill and started counting out his coins. "I don't know if Weasley and I will ever get along… but I'll tell you this much. He really does like you Hermione." He laughed slightly. "I can't believe I'm saying this but... I know you're hurt, and trust me, if I could hit him again, I would... but there must be something you're missing... because, the way he looks at you… he really does like you. And I can tell you like him back. And obviously… all your friends can tell too, even from far away. That's why they all want you to give him a chance to explain." He gave the waitress his money, and turned back to Hermione, his hands clasped together on top of the table. He looked like he was having a mental argument again. After a whole ten seconds, he spoke again. "Look… it's too late for me and Weasley to work things out. But it's not to late for the two of you. Give…" He looked down at the table then back at Hermione. "Give him a chance to explain."

Hermione smiled lightly at Alin. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. "Alin…"

_This must have been really hard for him to say._

"Give him a chance. If there's one thing I learnt from this whole thing with Prinţesă, it's that everyone... everyone deserves a chance."

"I can't just show up at his apartment for no reason anymore…"

He reached into his jacket and pulled out a file. "Then take him the papers about the reserve. And you can tell him in person that he'll get his land back for the dragons."

Hermione jumped up and wrapped her arms around Alin's neck. "Thank you! But… how did you get these so fast?"

"After I left the reserve, I went straight to the Minister. I knew it was important to you… and I figured the faster I did it… the less I'd have to see of Weasley. That and the dragons **are** really bad off." He smirked and kissed her on the cheek. "Now. Go talk to him… and you might as well take the credit, I doubt he'd be thrilled I helped, and I'll deny it anyways." She hugged him again, laughing slightly, before dashing out of the restaurant and apparating outside of Charlie's apartment.

She sprinted up the stairs, a smile on her face, and tears rolling down her cheeks. She knocked quickly on the door to his flat. After a brief pause, she heard the click of the lock and the door opened. Hermione looked up, smiling like a maniac. "Charl-" Her face fell immediately.

"Oh, you're back! It's Hermione right?" Hermione started backing slowly away, back down the hall… away from her and her voice. Hermione had the sudden urge to vomit, scream, hit Irena, and curse Charlie all at once. She bit her lip though and kept backing away from the pajama-clad brunette as she heard a scuffling behind the door.

_If you can call those pajama's... it's basically booty shorts and a tank top._

Hermione glared at the brunette. "Irena..."

_--------------------------------------_

**DUH DUH DUHHHHHHHHHHH**

**Could it be? Irena's there again!? However will Charlie get out of this one now?**

**Oh, and FYI: The whole 'I have to go to the Loo' thing… I added it just for Ruchie:P**

**Ok, be honest... Who STILL wants to HIT ALIN!?**

**---------------------------------------**

**Thanks so much to all my awesome-est reviewers who have hung in here with my stories since 'Licking His Lips' and to all my new reviewers too!!!**

**Libaka : You're very welcome. Thanks for reading :) I'm glad I got her back to her character. **

**Pstibbons: Yea I know. She should know more… but, she needs to ask something :P And Charlie wouldn't think to write a letter :P**

**Fireboltwiccan: Trust me, you don't want to know Irena :P I know the REAL Irena…so trust me, you don't want to know her :P But I guess I better bring her back into the story now.**

**hoping-it-lasts51507: Addicted?? Wow…now I know I have to update :P Thanks for the review!**

**Lixa Levine: What can I say, I LOVE it! You have to update! LOL Yea, if the Granger's show up, I think the dragons will end up being the last thing on Charlie's mind! LOL I'd be more worried about dodging fists. :P But the Weasleys could be a complete handful:P Thanks for the review!!!**

**FredWeasleyLover1126: I hope it's interesting… especially when I wait so long to update like I did :P**

**Erikandchristine: Yes, you HAVE to make a nice long update…SOON:D:D And don't worry, I'll let you punch him!**

**Fahzzyquill: Putting the pieces together??? Oooh!!! I want to know what you've figured out :P Send me a private message of what you think!**

**Sam's Firefly: So Irena's identity is really bothering you is it?**

**Sarahyyy: Yes, I know… lots of questions that I left unanswered. I'll try to update as fast as I can!!**

**ruchie-smooch:D Ah you know you love me:) All will be answered in due time Ruchie! LOL And thank-you **

**Hotkat144: Thank you! I'm glad you like it!**

**Weasleytwinsarehott: Glad you liked it:D **

**wifeylady21: Does this help you at all on the past? And don't worry….Irena WILL get explained… all in good time!**

**nattt-tastic003: Oh your good! You got that one right. :) And I think Hermione's FINALLY going to start listening.**

**Snapehermionelover: Haha, yup… my cousins just passing through a clingy, no-nap stage… so whenever they come over, I get to see full out the whole 'what happens when they don't nap'. Lol. I'm glad you liked the update! Hope this answers some more questions. Thanks for reading! Oh, and you know Charlie just HAS to be the hero!**

**Siriusforeva: Yes…the kiss… :)**

**IceAngel89: Wow… pretty good. You got some thing's right. Not all of them, but some things! Glad you liked the banter…I was nervous it might get a little confusing. :P How's your story coming?? You have to update soon!!**

**I r e n ii: Bite me Freak:P Your Reiew "she is only the greatest, prettiest, sexiest, smartest**

**(okay well maybe not smartest :P)person at has ever walked on the face of the**

**planet. " AT HAS EVER WALKED THE PLANET!? Yea…reeeeeaaaal smart:P LOL. I'm pretty sure everyone knows roughly how big a dog is… especially after seeing any of the hp movies… like Fang, and Sirius. DUH! And I do use spell check. Some words are just other words. SHEESH! **

**Lemonicelolly: Thanks! I'm glad you like it!!**

**whedonist19: That's ok:) I'm glad you like it! You think you know what's up?? –Evil Smirk- We'll see!!**

**Erytha: Haha. That sounds pretty cool… see, good ideas… And how can you NOT like Alin. LOL**

**Sydney: I'm glad you like it!! Hope you read the prequels… it would make more sense I think. LOL **

**Angela0085: Yes, more Charmione action. I know, I know... lol. You really think Alin's that bad?**

**------------------------------------**

**_COMING UP: Why is Irena back at Charlie's apartment? WHO is Irena. How will Charlie take the news about the reserve, and will he and Hermione FINALLY patch things up? What's going to happen to Charlie when Scotty shows up. (Gulp) Oh, and yes Huma... once you update your fic, I'll throw in a punch!_ **


	8. WHO THE HELL IS IRENA?

**I thought I'd start leaving little bits of a preview at the beginning of the chapter… just for the heck of it. SO, here ya go.**

'_But what did you honestly expect me to do Hermione? Sit here and wait for you to come to your senses?' – Charlie Weasley_

**So, maybe I'll do that for every chapter. A quote... and then who said it. Do you like the idea?**

**Wow. A lot of people have reviewed, and guessed that Irena must be Alin's sister, under a false name, or in disguise, unknown to Alin…. Interesting….**

**Ok, so I took a **_**LOT**_** longer than I would have liked, but school started this week, and I've had basketball tryouts (Lets hope I make it) and just the fact that I have to try and get back into a schedule or routine. So, I'm sooooo sorry for the long wait. I hope you like it.**

**------------------------------------------------------**

**Anyone who STILL wants to hit/hurt/embarrass Alin… leave me a name to use in my story :D Ok, and I can't promise a PUNCH… but I can promise… something… :P**

**Disclaimer: How I wish Charlie was mine…**

**-------------------------------------------------------**

_She sprinted up the stairs, a smile on her face, and tears rolling down her cheeks. She knocked quickly on the door to his flat. After a brief pause, she heard the click of the lock and the door opened. Hermione looked up, smiling like a maniac. "Charl-" Her face fell immediately.  
_

"_Oh, you're back! It's Hermione right?" Hermione started backing slowly away, back down the hall… away from her and her voice. Hermione had the sudden urge to vomit, scream, hit Irena, and curse Charlie all at once. She bit her lip though and kept backing away from the pyjama-clad brunette as she heard a scuffling behind the door._

_  
If you can call those pyjamas... it's basically booty shorts and a tank top._

_Hermione glared at the brunette. "Irena..."_

---------------------------------------------------------

Irena frowned slightly at the cold voice the girl backing away from her used. Charlie suddenly appeared beside her, and Hermione's icy glare turned to him.

_'There's nothing going on between me and Irena'….'It's not what you think.' He says. YEAH RIGHT!!! Why the hell is she still here then!!!!!!_

"Hermione? What are you doing here? I didn't know you were… do you want to come in?"

She glared at him even more and he seemed to realize what she must have been thinking. He licked his lips slightly.

"Irena… uh, could you give us a minute out here, thanks."

The brunette shrugged and skipped back into the apartment, her boobs bouncing slightly, without a second look at Hermione, who was standing stock-still and glaring at Charlie, tears still present in her eyes. At this point however, they were completely different tears then those she had arrive with.

"Hermione… what are you-"

"Here." She spit out, shoving the envelope at him.

"What is this?"

"The files about the reserve. You got your land back."

_I sound like Alin a bit…_

"Already? Doesn't it usually take longer than-"?

"It was put as a top priority." He smirked slightly and she quickly added, "Because the dragons were so bad off... not because of you!" She glared at him.

"You brought this all the way here, at…" He looked at the watch on his wrist, "Ten o'clock at night? Why?"

"I… I thought you would want to know…"

"Is that it?"

She raised her chin slightly in the air. "What else do you want me to say?"

"Why you're **really** here."

"**That's **why I'm here. I told you already." She pointed at the envelope as she spoke.

"**You** didn't have to **personally** bring me the envelope, and it certainly could have waited until tomorrow… at a more… **decent…** hour."

"Well I'm sorry to **disturb** you and your…**guest…**by thinking you'd want it now." She turned on her heal and headed back to the stairs. She paused when she got to the top however. "Aren't you going to try and stop me this time?" She asked quietly. She heard Charlie laugh softly and turned to glare at him. He was laughing, but it wasn't showing on his face. It was a dry laugh, and his smile…well; it couldn't really be called a smile.

"Why should I bother anymore Hermione? Every time I try to talk to you, you shrug me off. You ignore me and disappear before I can explain **anything**. You don't want to listen anymore. Why should I keep talking and calling you back… if you don't want to listen?"

She hung her head slightly. "I…I came here tonight to listen. I've talked with some…**friends**… and they all want me to listen. They pointed out my mistake Charlie… I'm doing the same thing I did before… with the whole Tim thing… and Ginny's letters." She bit her lip, looking up slightly. His arms were crossed over his chest and he was staring at her blankly. She took in a deep breath and looked up. "I should have listened to you from the beginning… and I realise that now. That's why I came back tonight. I want to listen now; even though I know I won't like it…" she trailed off quietly.

"What makes you think you won't like what you're going to hear?"

"Because." Hermione's voiced got stronger as she talked more, tears still sliding slowly down her cheeks. "The one thing I want to hear you say… the one thing that will make me happy… is to hear you say Irena isn't some girl your sleeping with-" A smile tugged at Charlie's face as Hermione continued. "I want to know that you **do** want to try and get back together with me, even though I've screwed up royaly. That you always **have** wanted to get back together with me. I want you to tell me I made a mistake when we broke it off…when **I** broke it off. Tell me I was stupid for doing it, and that you've wanted me to come to my bloody senses and come apologize!" She took a deep breath. "But obviously, you've moved on, and, I know you can still tell me I made a mistake and all that… but you're also going to tell me it's too late… that **I'm** too late… and I really, really don't want to hear that." She bit her lip again and went to turn away.

"You have made a mistake Hermione. Actually, you've made a fair few mistakes." His voice held no emotion. He wasn't happy to tell her this, and he wasn't laughing in her face, but he wasn't angry either. She looked back up at his blank expression. "I'm not sleeping with Irena, or anyone else for that matter. I've tried to tell you on many occasions, but like I said, you never want to listen. I guess you could say Irena and I are friends… she's going out with Jack, you know from the reserve. He's my **roommate**. Irena's almost always here visiting him… she practically lives here. Actually, she sort of moved in when I left for the summer. If you would have listened from the beginning, you would have known that."

A fresh round of tears where streaming down Hermione's pale face. "I… I didn't know you had a roommate."

Charlie let out a slight snort. "Your brothers did. They found out that one night they drilled me…"

They were both silent for a few moments. Hermione was staring at her feet intently, and she could feel Charlie's gaze on her constantly. "I…I jumped the gun again didn't I?" She looked up slightly, then dropped her head again, ashamed that she had made such a stupid mistake…again.

"Yea you did Hermione. You jumped a hell of a lot ahead."

"I should have let you explain." She looked up slightly, expecting him to cut in and say something else, but he didn't. He just continued to stare at her, his arms still folded over his chest. "I… I thought you had moved on?"

"I could have. You shrugged me off Hermione. You didn't even write me."

"I wrote you once."

"Oh right. What was that letter like again… you were talking about how you had started work again, asked how the reserve was doing. You didn't even ask how **I** was. You had no **fricken** **emotion** in that letter at **all**." His temper flared slightly, but he quickly dropped his gaze. When he looked back up, his emotionless tone returned. "I had plenty of opportunity to move on Hermione… but I didn't want to. I clung on to that **little** bit of hope that next time I went home, you and I would work through things. I don't know why. What did you honestly expect me to do Hermione? Sit here and wait for you to come to your senses?"

"I…I guess I hoped you would."

"Yea well I shouldn't have. Most guys would have moved on. But I really did care about you Hermione… then you just pushed me away, without even allowing us to have a civil conversation between us."

"Used to?" She whispered softly looking up with shining eyes.

He paused and looked at her, searching her eyes and face. She tried to do the same to him, but he really had mastered blocking out all emotion that should have been present on his face. After a few minutes he spoke again, without answering her question. "Every time I tried to tell you that there was nothing between Irena and me, you ran off. I tried to fix things between us, bt you didn't give me a chance to. And I must say, it didn't take you long to move on."

"I didn't move on…"

"**Alin**." Charlie's eyes darkened slightly at that one simple word. For a brief second he was quiet. Recapturing his temper before he continued, still lacking emotion. "How was your **date** tonight with him?"

She looked up at him for a moment, tears staining her cheeks. "Alin and I **aren't **a couple. It was just dinner. He knew something was bugging me. He figured out why I had really come here." When Charlie raised an eyebrow at her, she bit her lip again. "To see you ok! I really came here to be with **you**, to fix things with **you**. But when I got here… I thought you and Irena…" She stopped again. She couldn't even finish the sentence. "We talked for a bit, Alin and me. He told me all about what happened between you and him… about Prinţesă…"

Charlie's eyes flashed dark again. "Princess my arse. She was anything **but** a princess. She was a spoilt brat. They both were. But working on the dragon reserve helped a bit with her. She smartened out slightly, but I think she was with half the male population of Romania by the time she was dragged away." He looked down.

"But you guys were best friends I thought?"

"We were. She was a great friend to have, I guess partially because she always got her way, so it was great having her on your… team so to speak. You see, she was a great person… until she didn't get her own way… Then she turned into a complete… well, she wasn't that great after." He looked back at Hermione. "So Rickmond told you all about what he did to his sister."

"Yea. And why." She sent him a slight look, but didn't push the matter. She didn't want to make him any madder at her.

"That's not a story he likes to tell often..."

"Well, he only told me that because I told him what my family put you through. He actually…he was the one who gave me the final kick in the rear to get over here and talk to you. He said that it sounded like you... really must have liked me to put up with all that, and that I at least owed you the chance to explain things." Charlie snorted again. Hermione ignored him. "Charlie… I've never been more… upset, or lonely… than I've been these last few weeks." She looked up at him pleadingly, silently begging him to make some sign that he knew she was hurting. But he remained stock-still, not moving a muscle, not giving away any emotion on his face, or in his eyes. She looked up at the ceiling as she started to sob. "Charlie please... I made a mistake. Hell I made a LOT of mistakes." She looked back at him. "I know I don't deserve another chance… but please. I… I'm. _**So**_. _**Sorry**_." She wiped at her eyes, and before she had realized it, Charlie had strolled across the hall and pulled her into a hug.

"That's all I needed to hear Hermione." He leaned down and kissed her soundly on the lips. They stayed that way for what seemed like forever to Hermione, who started crying a new round of tears. He pulled away slowly, "I don't know why… but, that's all I needed to hear."

-----------------------------------------------

**HAHA!!! I CAN'T believe you all forgot about Jack!! During the test in Twinkling Eyes and Cheshire Grins… Hermione's brothers asked Charlie if he had a roommate… and he said yea, Jack… See… those little bits of information I randomly throw in aren't COMPLETELY random… most of the time anyways. :P **

**Alright, so it's a little short I know, but school started this week… so yea. I had originally planned on this chapter being longer, but… well, I like how it ends here. So yea… hope you don't mind. I hope it sort of answers the one question that you've all been begging to know. I promise they'll be even more on Irena in the next chapter. **

**Thanks to my awesome reviewers! I love you guys for sticking with me all this time!!!**

**Lixa Levine : Haha. Ok, you can hit Alin! I'm sure you're not the only person who wants to do that… (Evil smirk) Did Hermione listen enough for you?? And when are you updating:D**

**Weasleytwinsarehott : OMG thank you so much!! I'm gonna miss writing it. It's so entertaining, especially when a random idea pops in my head, like right now for instance. I just thought of a great filler bit. But for later on, a couple chapters in.**

**Snapehermionelover: Alter ego? That's not too far fetched for me. :P I hope this answers all your Irena questions… :P nd yea… the REAL Irena's too hard to figure out. And I know her. :P Heehee… yes, when Scotty and Holly show up. LOL I can't wait for that part:D**

**ruchie-smooch: You know who Irena is. She's the really annoying shadow… you know the really loud one that's always around… has a crush on a different guy how many times a week?? LOL OHHHHHHHH Do you mean the Irena in the story??? Oh her… well, now I hope you know who Irena is :P Yea… Scotty is fun… :P Love ya too hun:P**

**lemonicelolly: Yea, I'd say she has it pretty rough right now… lol. Thanks for the review!**

**Fahzzyquill: You want to hit Alin too? Alrighty then! You don't like Irena!? You don't really KNOW Irena yet. :P**

**ErikandChristine: Yes… you WILL get the punch. :P As long as I get Draco in your story. And my story's worth being late… who cares if you're fired:P**

**Mimi The Witch: HAHA… ok, and does this story answer your questions about Irena?**

**IceAngel89: Don't worry, you and Scotty will be in lots more!! I didn't forget about his ring. :P Yea… he was mean to his sister Alin… but I think he realized it.**

**Fireboltwiccan: Heee heee :D CLIFFY!!!! I looooooooove writing cliffies:D Sorry**

**nattt-tastic003: Haha… you want to just…HURT him slightly…right:P Yes… hoping is always good!**

**Hotkat144: Wow… another person who thinks Irena is Alin's sister… interesting.**

**Sapphire Alia Moondust: Thank you.**

**Sam's Firefly: Haha… I'm updateing as fast as I can! LOL**

**I r e n ii: (Rolls eyes) No… your nothing like the Irena in the story… I'm going to make her NICE!! Oh hoh ho… I am SO going to have fun with you in this fic… you're going to be like my little Voo-Doo Doll… :D (Evil smirk) I can't wait….muah ha….**

**Journey: Yes… thank you… everyone wants to know who Irena is….:P**

**Siriusforeva: Thank-you!**

**FredWeasleyLover1126: She's there because she's there! That's why! LOL And I'll try my best to update fast.**

**whedonist19: I thought the flashbacks would help. :D glad you liked it! And you're very welcome! Thanks for reviewing:D**

**pstibbons:O You don't think Hermione should go out with Charlie:O And yes… Alin's actions were UNFORGIVABLE… and Hermione shunning her brothers would mean… that I have no one for her to talk to… LOL**

**Erytha: So you kinda sort like him… :P Lots of people feel that way now… **

**ladyBlue Wolf: NO! Don't die!! Come back!!! It's just a cliffy!!! Don't die!!**

**Rupertgrintlovesmeandonlyme: Haha… ok :D**

**christy86: I'll be updating as fast as I can:D**

**------------------------------------------------**

**REMINDER****: Anyone who STILL wants to hit/hurt/embarrass Alin… leave me a name to use in my story :D Ok, and I can't promise a PUNCH… but I can promise… something… :P**

_**COMING UP:**__** Scotty and Holly are coming back! Who else is coming back too? What's going to happen between Hermione and Alin… or between Charlie and Alin now? What's going to happen now at the reserve?**_


	9. Jack and Irena, Kinda

**Coming up this chapter…**

"_**Really?**_ That's incredible! I mean, they hooked up just because they lip-locked for a whole night? That really would be a very risky relationship to start…"

--------------------------------------------------------------

**I'm Ba-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-ck!!!! Did you miss me?? I bet you all missed me! Come on, you can say it….you missed me! Admit it! Come on…. ADMIT IT……please…?**

**I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SORRY!!! I know I kept you all waiting…and I appreciate you all sticking around!! THANK-YOU!!!**

**Alright, so here's the scoop. I've b****een uber busy lately. Basketball….well, we're 10-3…and although we haven't really practiced in three weeks, we've had games twice a week, and we always play second…which means I don't get home until 6:30 ish….so yea. Now we're starting to kick up our practices, because play-offs just started... so wish me luck!**

**Now I had REALLY wanted to update like, a week and a half...two weeks ago…. Before now… but Parents Night, a School Dance and basketball…. All got in my way. Also, I've had a fair share of homework, birthday parties, family things, then Halloween…. and now I have two projects due this week, and a major research essay due next week…. And, well….to be honest…a MAJOR WRITERS BLOCK! **

**I don't know how to get from where I am…to where I want to pick up the story. SO it's making me mad. And I don't write very well when I'm mad! However, I think I've gotten past that writers block…or perhaps my brain just wants me to write more Hermione/Oliver…and I won't let myself do that until after I update this… but...we'll see…and, well, I hope you all like it!**

**---------------------------------------------------------------**

**IMPORTANT:**** I just want to point out that I KNOW Hermione has been MAJORLY out of character. Before updating the last chapter, I had read over all my other ones… and wow… I'm sorry she's been so messed up. I never realized how much it was until I read over it. I'm soooooooo sorry. Don't worry though, this is Charlie's terrain now, Romania, so like Hermione had a lot of troubles back at her home, he'll have a fair bit of troubles and screw-ups here. Don't worry. I have a plan. (For once :P)**

**Disclaimer: You know the whole "If only…" drill….**

------------------------------------------

"AHEM!" A loud exasperated cough sounded behind the newly reunited couple, and the two sprang apart. "Sorry to er… interrupt this… _touchin'_ moment… but Char… ya've been out 'ere fer a long time now… and, well, whatever the hell it was ya were cookin'… well, it's burnin'."

Charlie stared at Jack for a few moments blankly, still clinging to Hermione.

"Food. In oven. _Bur-nin'_…" Jack said slowly.

Comprehension slowly dawned on Charlie's face, and he cursed, dashing through the open door. Hermione stared after him, slipping slightly at the sudden loss of the arms supporting her up. She blinked at Jack who was smirking.

"Miss Granger… Hermione… so nice ta see ya again."

Hermione opened her mouth slightly, but closed it again. After a brief pause, she tried again. "Nice to see you too… Mr… um… I'm sorry… I never got your last name."

"Sparrow. But you can jus' call me Jack."

"Right… Jack."

"Well, I'm guessin' you and Charlie made up… so, would ya like ta come in… meet me girlfriend, Irena, properly?"

Hermione flushed a light red colour. "I'm guessing Charlie told you that…um, that I … accused him…of….um…." she trailed off.

"Accused him of cheatin' on ya with Irena? Ya… course 'e did." Jack let out a rough laugh. "Him and Irena… hell… that-a be tha day hell froze over. Ya know they don't even get along all tha' well… She's a babe though…" He stared at the ceiling for a minute before realizing he was off in 'La-la land.' "Oi… here, come on in… make yerself at home. Sure Char wouldn't want it any other way…" He stepped back and let her through the door, smirking as she passed him. She looked around quickly and her eyes landed on Irena.

The brunette looked up at her with an expression that told Hermione she was bored. She was sitting at the kitchen table, a bowl of ice cream sitting in front of her. She dragged her spoon around the bowl in a circle, then raised a large spoonful of ice cream to her mouth. She smiled at Jack as she swallowed and Hermione wondered how anyone could swallow that much ice cream without getting brain freeze.

"So…" Hermione fidgeted slightly where she was standing. She stopped when she regretfully realized she had nothing to say.

_What exactly are you supposed to say to someone who you accused your boyfriend of cheating on you with… or someone whose girlfriend you accused…?_

_If I knew that, do you think I'd be standing here looking like an idiot?_

_Do you want me to answer that?_

_No._

She looked at Jack who was smirking in an awfully 'Malfoy-like' way. She bit her bottom lip and looked the other way, deciding to take in the surroundings.

She had to admit, for two bachelors, Charlie and Jack had good taste… or perhaps it was Irena's taste… Charlie had said she had practically lived here since he had gone home to see his family. Whatever the case, the apartment looked wonderful. The walls in the dining room were a dark, almost black, Smokey grey, and the curtains that hung from the windows were pure white. Hermione had to wonder if they had a spell on them to keep them that way. The dark wooden table was in the centre of the hardwood floor, and the white cushioned chairs around it each had a black wide wire frame.

She turned her gaze to the Living Room, and once again wondered about the whiteness of the curtains. She looked over the black leather couches, then at the light brown carpet spread throughout the room. The fire in the fireplace was crackling, and it emitted a comfy glow over the ocean blue walls. Hermione smiled. The boys really did have good taste. She couldn't wait to settle on the couch with Charlie, a mug of hot chocolate resting on the glass top of the coffee table, and an old book in her hands. She had to focus to keep her feet still, so that she didn't run up to the giant bookcase in the corner right away.

She pulled her hungry gaze off the mass collection of books, and turned instead to look at the large, black metal, spiral staircase, in the opposite corner of the room.

_A two storied flat? That's amazing! And it's so well decorated…_

_Wow, I guess you never asked Charlie about his interior decorating abilities. _

_No... it never exactly came up in conversation..._

"So Hermione." Her head snapped in Jacks direction. He was chewing slightly on a toothpick "What's in tha envelope?"

"Hm? What envelo- OH!" She looked at the envelope in her hand as though just remembering that she was holding it. "It's the um… files."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Files…?" He twirled his wrist in the air, urging her to add more to her description.

"Oh... Files on the reserve. For the land claim. The ministry looked over them, decided they were important." She shrugged slightly, and Jack sprang forward.

"Really?" He yanked the folder out of her hands and ripped it open.

"Jack breath. It's a letter." Irena said, taking another large spoonful of ice cream.

"This ain't just'a letter. We've been on Rickmond's back about this fer years. Do ya know 'ow many letters Charlie and I've written? Well... More Charlie… but still…. And ya were jus' at the reserve today!"

"You've written a lot of letters between the two of you, trust me, I know. I read them all. And like I said, Alin and I," Hermione faltered slightly when Jack snorted at Alin's name, "We thought it was a top priority… so we really pushed for it."

_You mean ALIN really pushed for it with his boss…_

Hermione bit her lip. To her relief, Charlie pushed through the kitchen door, and Hermione caught a quick glance of the orange walls. She smiled slightly. Maybe she'd have to investigate a little bit further into the boys' interior decorating skills.

_At least it's not a real bright orange…_

"Bloody hell… you know Jack you could've taken the stuff out of the oven…" Charlie mumbled as he came to stop just outside the kitchen door.

"Yea. But I didn't wanna mess somethin' up on ya. Ya've complained about tha' before ya know."

Charlie rolled his eyes slightly. "Whatever Jack. Now, who wants pizza!?" He clapped his hands together in enthusiasm and Hermione chuckled slightly, until she heard Irena snort.

"A little too enthusiastic there aren't you Weasley? It's just pizza."

"I'm hungry." Charlie shot back at Irena. His face fell slightly as his eyes landed back on Hermione, still wearing her black dress and blue halter. He licked his lip slightly. "Do you uh… want to come grab some pizza with us Hermione?" He gestured at Jack and Irena as he spoke.

"You're just eating now? It's already after ten o'clock!"

"Busy day, we usually eat late anyways."

"Really?

"They're dragon trainer. What do you expect?" Irena said as she finished her ice cream and stood up. "I wasn't planning on going out anywhere. Give me a few minutes to change." She handed her bowl to Jack with a smile, then made her way up the spiral staircase.

Jack watched her go, then made his way into the kitchen and Charlie moved closer to Hermione. "I guess you're not hat hungry… I mean... after your dinner date with _Rickmond._"

Hermione bit her lip. "It wasn't a _date, _but I guess it was an alright dinner. Holly called me half way through it. I guess you told Ginny what's been going on…"

"Well… kind of. Not exactly everything… but I told her you wouldn't talk to me… and why. But she promised she wouldn't tell anyone why."

"Yea well. I ended up telling Holly and… yea. Look, can we not talk about this anymore. I know I screwed up, and I'd like to not bring it up so much."

Charlie chuckled dryly. "I know what you mean, it's not exaclt my favourite topic either…so do you still want to come? I really don't want to be stuck with just these two again."

"I'd love to come." Hermione said smiling.

"Great." Jack said as he came back out of the kitchen. "Now Char 'ere won't'ave ta sulk all night again."

Hermione smirked at Charlie as he blushed slightly. "Well, we'll head out as soon as the 'princess' upstairs finishes getting ready." He sent a glare at Jack who only shrugged.

"Hey, ya know I can't control 'ow long it takes'er ta get ready. So don't gimme looks like tha'."

Charlie rolled his eyes at Hermione with a smirk, and the room settled into a comfortable silence for a few moments. "Charlie… do you... still talk to Prinţesă?"

Jack and Charlie looked at the brunette. "Ya know 'bout Prinţesă?" Jack asked slightly taken aback.

"Rickmond told her about her. And like I said, she's no princess. I've written her a couple of times, usually around Christmas, but she could care less. Why do you ask?"

"No reason, it's just... I know you guys were really good friends. So I thought, maybe she would have come around by now, start talking to you again."

Jack and Charlie shared a quick look. "Well she hasn't. I mean, I get a Christmas card from her every year. 'To Charlie. Merry Christmas. Prinţesă.' And that's basically it. And I'm pretty sure her mother makes her write one back."

"Oh."

"But that's how Prinţesă works, she doesn't get her way, she's got no interest in whatever, or whoever was involved."

"But she still talks to Alin."

Charlie merely shrugged.

--------------------------------

It was over half an hour later that the quartet finally left the house, Jack dragging Irena out the door as she complained about being rushed. Hermione and Charlie followed the bickering couple slowly.

"Irena, we're walkin' to tha pizza store an' back, it's late, I DOUBT you're goin' ta run int'a anyone..."

"Do they fight like this often?" Hermione asked looking at Charlie beside her.

"Too often." He said closing his eyes painfully. "They never stop."

"How did they meet?"

"Party. The birthday of one of our trainers. Irena came with one of her friends… she ran into Jack. They hit it off pretty fast. Extremely fast actually. They looked like their tongues had a permenent sticking charm on them all night."

Hermione's brow furrowed. "That's a little risky. Did Irena and Jack know eachother before then?"

"No."

"And they just started… making out… with each other... like that." She snapped her fingers for emphasis.

"Yup."

"And they've been together for how long now?"

"A year."

"_**Really?**_ That's incredible! I mean, they hooked up just because they lip-locked for a whole night? That really would be a very risky relationship to start though…"

Charlie laughed. "Remind me again Hermione… how did we hook up?"

She blushed a bright red. "That's different."

"How so? You mean we only lip-locked for half the night… then cuddled for the rest of it?" His eyes were twinkling and he wore a large grin on his face. She was reminded of her own family and everything Charlie went through, and for the first time she really realized what Charlie had gone through to prove to her that he really did care.

_But why is he trying so hard to prove his feelings to me?_

She shook the thought from her head. "No, I mean, we at least… **knew** each other before hand."

"Not much. I only knew a bit about you. What I heard from Ron or mum or Ginny. And I doubt you knew much about me."

Hermione opened her mouth to respond but faltered.

_Well… that IS true. Come to think of it… what DID you know about him?_

_I knew... stuff._

_Like?_

_He's a dragon trainer. A bit rebellious. Like's quidditch. He was a wonderful seeker for Gryffindor. He's a Weasley… which means he's loyal and cares about his family…_

_Oh wowwwwwwww…. That's WHOLE LOT! What about other things. Things his family doesn't see at home? Thinks like...I dunno, let's say...Prinţesă?_

_Shut up._

"Shut up Charlie… it's just **_different_** ok."

He laughed openly and Irena and Jack turned to look at him oddly. Irena rolled her eyes slightly then turned back to Jack with a smile. Charlie wrapped his arm around Hermione and pulled her to his side.

"Whatever you say 'mione… but you know it's true."

She smiled slightly at him, then rested her head against his shoulder as the quartet started down the street. She hadn't realized before how beautiful Romania looked at night. A soft light glowed from the old buildings lining the street, and when Hermione looked up, she couldn't believe how many stars she could see.

She sighed contently as bits of Irena and Jack's new argument drifted back to her.

"I'm just saying Jack! It's not fair if you get an hour and a half in the bathroom in the morning, and **_I_** only get an hour and a half in the morning too. I should get at least two hours you know..."

Hermione rolled her eyes and thanked God she wasn't one of those girls that watsed precious hours in the bathroom every morning.

She bit her lip slightly at how she had had to ask Holly which outfit would look good earlier that night. That reminded her of the phonecall Holly had made, and Hermione nestled closer to Charlie. She was glad her friends at least knew what she should do.

_That reminds me..._

"Hey Charlie…"

"Hm?"

"Does the dragon reserve give tours?"

"Tours?" His brow furrowed and he looked at her. "No. Why?"

"Oh. Nevermind then."

"No, tell me why?"

"Well… Scotty and Holly are going on a trip around Europe… and, well. They're going to stop in Romania, and Holly asked if there was any chance I could ask you if you can show them some dragons…"

"Scotty's coming here? Does he know about this whole thing… like what you thought happened?"

"Kind of."

"Kind of?"

"I may have let some stuff… slip… not knowing he was listening."

Charlie groaned.

"But he said he wouldn't tell my dad or Tim anything."

Charlie straightened slightly. "Well that's **slightly** reassuring…"

Hermione smiled at him. "Don't worry about it. I'll tell them the true side of the story next time I talk to them."

Charlie licked his lips and nodded. "I'll see what I can do for Scotty and Holly."

"Oh no it's ok…"

"No, no. I mean, I can't promise anything…. But I can try pulling a few strings."

"Really?"

"Yea."

"Oh thank-you!" She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly.

"You already promised them didn't you?"

"Maybe."

Charlie laughed again. "I'll see what I can do."

**---------------------------------------------------**

**Alright. Definitely NOT what I wanted. But honestly, right now, it's the best I can do with this chapter. I PROMISE the next one will be a thousand times better! **

**But right now, I must go start the project that is due on Tuesday, that, as far as my mom knows, I've been working on all morning. :P So if I don't get this project done, it's all your fault cause I love you guys so much and feel bad for not updating! **

**-------------------------------------------------------**

**And since I haven't updated in sooooooooooo long, I REALLY appreciate all of these reviewers, and really, truly, hope that I will see most (If not all) of their names in another review soon!!**

**CWHG love: Thank you! Really glad you liked it!**

**nattt-tastic003: Haha… wow… I'm thrilled. You really screamed?? Haha… thank-you! And yea… stupid school!!! GR! So, you still wanna hurt Alin… got it:) You made my morning with that review! LOL Thanks for taking the time to read and review! **

**I r e n ii: Hahaha I figured you'd like the whole boob thing:P You talk about them enough! LOL Yea I know, I didn't have enough time to go over it six times hun. And Rucha, who I'm now getting to BETA for me… while, her internets on the fritz. :P**

**ErikandChristine: What!? No! You have to want to punch Alin… I had your part all planned!!! HUMA!**

**Siriusforeva: Thank you! Yes… they're FINALLY together! LOL I know, I know, took me long enough. :P**

**Hotkat144: Haha… Scotty and Holly are coming back… so, since I'm bringing them back… you're going to love me too… right? **

**Angela0085: Yep… more romance! Definitely:)**

**IceAngel89: Hahaa… Yep… you're coming back. And I'll use Lacy. Holly can smack him too if you want. LOL I can't wait for your update… and I LOVE Draco/Hermione… so I'll defiantly read your fic. I'm definitely not done with Alin… so no worries there. He still works with Hermione. :P So, I'm gonna have some fun with him… no worries. **

**ruchie-smooch: Questions? What questions:P LOL Glad you finally know who Irena is?**

**Snapehermionelover: Haha… three some… LOL. Hillarious… Hehe… Scotty and Holly…That'll be fun… and don't worry… Irena and Jack will be frequent story guest. And Scotty and Holly will too eventually. I'm really glad you liked the update… and I'm glad it cheered you up… I hope you get better soon!! You can still embarrass Alin if you want… :P Good luck with school and all that. **

**FredWeasleyLover1126: Haha… everyone forgot. :P**

**Sarahyyy: I'll try to update more often. :) Gladf you like it… and Scotty and Holly.**

**Mimi The Witch: Thanks… I'm really glad you like it! I know I left the whole Hermione/Charlie break-up thing for a long time. And you can still hit/embarrassed Alin if you want… leave me a name! And thank-you.**

**CaramelBoost: NOT THE LLAMA! LOL I'm glad you've reviewed now. :) And I love your story… it's awesome. And yes, Scotty and Holly are coming back… without knowing about Hermione and Charlie!**

**christy86 : Will do!**

**fireboltwiccan : Wow, thanks:) Really glad you liked it!! **

**RomanticlyXTragic: You've got it! I'm glad you like it! **

**GeminiBradshaw: Thank you… yes, I know… it took FOREVER…. But they worked things out.**

**ladyBlue Wolf: haha… I'm guessing you want to embarrass Alin… LOL**

**Erytha: Haha…. How many times you wanna punch him? LOL **

**Fahzzyquill: Thank-you… I'm really glad you like it.**

**Lixa Levine: Aww… I hope you get better soon… and are able o see :P I'm glad you still read the story though. And then went through the whole 'review' process :P. Thanks so much! And I can't WAIT for your story! I hope you update soon! **

**Libaka: But it's no fun to be nice. LOL Yes… they finally got back together…I know I know… took me long enough! Yea… no one remembered Jack… poor Jack. Thanks for the review!**

**Complainer: Trust me, I know, Hermione's been way out of character, and when I read over it, which I did the other day, I saw how bad it actually was. :P Don't worry…. This is Charlie's terrain now, so there's going to be secrets of his coming out too, and screw ups of his too. I'm pretty much done with Hermione being all… messed up. Lol. And don't worry, no offence taken, I hope I can have it fixed up soon. :P**

**Romdevil: Haha…. Yea, I know how school can get in the way. :P Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Rupertgrintlovesmeandonlyme: Alin's heart broken for no reason… hmm, I'll see what I can do.**

**Witchbeth: I'm glad you like it.**

**:): Omg… thanks so much. I'm really glad you like all my stories! And thanks so much for the compliment!**

**LadyofDragons089: OMG thank-you sooooooo much! I'm really glad you liked it this much! And yes… haha…. I know now Hermione's middle name is Jean…. I wrote that back when people weren't too sure yet…. A lot of people told me it was Jane… I just never really bothered top go back and change it. Maybe I'll do that sometime this week if I get a chance :P. Hahaha….Sick the twins on Alin…. I love how you worded that! Thanks so much for the review!**

**Wasu: Thanks so much:D I know it was a while since my last update, so sorry. But thanks for reading!**

**KandyFloss: Thanks so much! I'm really glad you liked it!**

**Fantastic Fira: Wow, thank's so much for reading all of my stories, I hope you liked them all, and I hope they make you like Charlie/Hermione stories more now. Thanks so much for the review!!**

**anonymous friend from school: HEY! I know who you are…ok, I THINK I know who you are… there's like, three possibilities…but I'm pretty positive I know who you are!**

**Kayree: So sorry for the wait!**

**-----------------------------------------**

**Alright... now even though I made you all wait... if you're still reading this, leave me a review! Please.**

**_COMING UP: A visit from relatives, some fun, What's going to happen between Hermione and Alin… or between Charlie and Alin now? What's going to happen now at the reserve?_**


	10. One Week

**PREVIEW**** to Chapter:**

"_Oh ge' a room." Jack groaned out as he grabbed another cookie. "Ya know there are other people 'ere don't chya?"_

"_Oh yea Jack… like you and Irena are any better." Charlie said rolling his eyes at his best friend._

**------------------------------------------------------------**

**Hey everyone, sorry it's been so long, but I've been REALLY busy this last month with school projects and all that fun stuff. (rolls eyes) BUT I didn't forget about you guys REALLY!**

**I also just got a job too… but I'm not going to slack (At least not anymore than I have lately… :S)**

**ANYWAYS! Not like you all care, but I figured, why not get a good deal done on this story over the break! Sounds good to me:) Hopefully I'll have another update up before the 7th. **

**So HAPPY HOLIDAYS everyone! **

**---------------------------------------------------------**

**I just want to say, I am dedicating this chapter to Ruchie-Smooch for her birthday…which was actually a while ago when I first started this update… but yea… too many projects! HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUN! **

**---------------------------------------------------------**

**Disclaimer: -Sigh-…. That's all I've got to say. :(**

**---------------------------------------------------------**

Hermione's eye's fluttered open slowly. She smiled as she looked up at the sleeping redhead she was cuddled up next to.

One week.

One week since she had brought Charlie the documents for the reserve.

One week since she had found out about Irena and Jack.

One week since her and Charlie had worked things out… again.

One week since she had spent a night alone in her flat.

One week of perfect bliss.

She sighed softly and Charlie shifted in his sleep. She glanced at the clock on his bedside table 6:27. She hadn't been up this early in… well, one week.

_Well, in all fairness, you DID go to bed early last night._

_Early? Since when is eleven o'clock early?_

_Well… compared to the rest of the week…. It's been after one o'clock every night this week that you've all come home from wherever you went to eat._

_Oh, right…well I was tired last night. I mean, going to bed every day for a week after one, and then getting up at 7:30 every morning for work…_

Hermione yawned slightly and looked around the room. She had concluded on her first night in his room that it was indeed Charlie who had decorated the flat. His bedroom walls were a dark, Gryffindor red, which matched beautifully with the black-framed bed. She yawned once more and Charlie stirred again. She smiled and pulled the dark red blankets off of her slightly. Rising slowly from the bed, careful not to wake Charlie, she crawled out of bed and slipped the blankets back over him. She smiled at him and tiptoed across the black carpet to the bedroom door. Hermione took one last look at the room she was quickly growing to love, and the man she knew she loved, and closed the door quietly.

She made her way down the spiral stairs carefully and headed to the kitchen in search of some coffee. She had to admit, she absolutely LOVED every room in the flat, but besides Charlie's room, the kitchen was one of her favourites. The guys had done a wonderful job in her opinion. She pushed the door open, bracing herself for the orange walls. When the sun shone through the windows and danced off the pots and shining silver countertops, the room could get very bright. As she entered, Jack turned from his spot at the sink and nodded slightly at her.

"Mornin'."

"Morning." She greeted cheerfully. Jack held the coffee pot he was holding up slightly and she nodded, he handed her a cup. "Thanks."

"Yea. How was your nigh'?"

"Alright, seems short."

"Ya went ta bed at eleven, tha's early 'round here… or did ya not get any sleep." He chuckled softly and propped himself up against the island. Hermione on the other hand tilted her head slightly, pondered his statement for a moment, and then went a bright red as his accusation sunk in.

"No-o!"

She took a long drink from her coffee and made her way to the fridge, avoiding all eye contact with Jack who was laughing freely at her redness. She ignored him and pulled the fridge open.

"Ya know how ta cook?"

"Kind of…"

"Well tha's better than me. I can't cook shit."

Hermione grimaced slightly but pulled a package of bacon from the crisper. "Well that's good because I wouldn't want to eat it."

Jack chuckled. "Well ya won't hafta worry too much about cookin'… Charlie definitely got his mother's skills in tha kitchen."

"You've been to dinner at the Burrow?"

"Nah. But when Char first moved out here, and fer like a year after tha', his mum used ta send stuff out here. That woman can cook."

"Yea, she's an amazing cook." Hermione looked around slightly. "Um, where are the frying pans?"

"Beats me."

"It's your flat."

"I told ya I can't cook shit… what makes ya think I know where the cookin' stuff is?"

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"There in the…the …." Hermione jumped as Charlie walked in the kitchen yawning. "The cupboard under the sink." He ran a hand through his hair, "Morning."

"Yea, 'parently it's a hell of an early one. You have a late nigh' too?" Jack said as he grabbed a cookie out of the cupboard. Hermione glared at him as she placed the pan on the stove. As she placed the strips of bacon in the pan, Charlie came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"What time did you get up?"

"Just before 6:30, about 10 minutes ago."

"Good sleep?"

"Of course."

"Good." He whispered, nuzzling her neck slightly.

"Oh ge' a room." Jack groaned out as he grabbed another cookie. "Ya know there are other people 'ere don't chya?"

"Oh yea Jack… like you and Irena are any better." Charlie said rolling his eyes at his best friend. He grabbed the cookie from Jacks hand as the dark haired man went to raise it to his mouth.

"Hey! Yer girlfriend's makin' ya breakfast. Gimme my cookie back!"

"No." Charlie pulled himself up onto the counter in the middle of the room and popped the cookie into his mouth, smirking at Jack.

Jack cursed and pulled the whole bag from the cupboard. Both men pulled out another cookie.

"Why don't you **both** try eating something healthy for breakfast." Hermione said as she snatched the cookies out of Jacks hands, placing them on the counter beside her. She turned back to the sizzling bacon.

"Touchy one in the mornin' ain't she." Jack said as he made his way out of the kitchen. "I'm gonna go see if Irena's up yet. Keep it clean in 'ere. 'member ya not the only one's that use this kitchen. Our food comes from in 'ere."

Hermione blushed again and Charlie threw a towel at him from the counter, hitting the door as it closed behind Jack. As the towel dropped to the floor Jack pushed his head back in. "Ya missed." He smirked and disappeared before his friend had a chance to grab another towel.

"Well, he'll be upstairs for a while now." Charlie said as he slid off the counter and walked over to the fridge. "Bloody idiot."

"He's your friend."

"Yea well, you're friends with Ron. So… now we're even."

Hermione laughed and Charlie placed a carton of eggs beside the stove grinning. "Be nice… he's your brother."

"Exactly, I'm stuck with him… you CHOSE to be his friend." Hermione slapped his arm. "Hey do you WANT me to drop the eggs?"

"What? You can't hold onto an egg when a girl hits your arm? I thought you were a dragon trainer?"

"Now you're mocking me? I'm guessing you want egg headadicts then?"

"What? You mean eggs benedict's "

"No. I mean Egg **head**adict's. As in keep-this-up-and-you'll-have-eggs-on-your-head."

"Ok, **that **was lame… even for you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Hermione only smiled and cracked two eggs into the now empty frying pan.

---------------------------------------------------

"Good morning Miss."

"Hello Dana. How was your weekend?"

"Lovely Miss. I went to Alexandru's jr. tournament. It was absolutely wonderful. Thank-you for the weekend off Miss."

"I told you Dana, no one should be working on the weekend, and I don't know why that Ranglish woman would make you."

"You work on the weekend usually Miss."

Hermione smiled. "I'm different."

Dana laughed quietly. "In a very good way. How was your meeting this morning?"

"Fine Dana, thank you."

"Of course Miss. Oh, Mr. Rickmond asked me to see if you could have the report on his desk later today, if you're not too busy he said He seems a little bit distracted."

Hermione spun around, a smile flying onto her face. "Alin's back!?"

"Yes. He arrived this morning."

"Oh wonderful. Thank you Dana." Hermione placed her bag in her office beside the door and turned towards Alin's office.

"Oh… miss. This owl also came for you. From a Miss… um… _Weasley_." She whispered the last name and glanced quickly at Alin's office.

"Ooh from Ginny. Thanks Dana." Hermione took the note from the woman and sped towards Alin's office, shoving it in her pocket.

"Da?" Carmelia asked as Hermione approached her.

"Hm? Oh, I just came to see Alin."

Carmelia raised an eyebrow at her questioningly, but before she could say anything else, Hermione walked past her. Carmelia scowled at the witch and rose quickly.

"Well, well, well… look who's back." Hermione said, smiling as Alin looked up from his desk.

"Hermione, so good to see you!" He motioned at Carmelia to leave as he made his way around his desk. Carmelia scowled at the brunette again and turned on her heel. Alin pulled Hermione into a hug. "How've you been? I'm so sorry for just leaving last week… urgent business I had to take care of…"He trailed off and Hermione quirked an eyebrow.

"Nothing wrong I hope."

"Hm? Oh nothing for you to worry about. Now tell me. How did things go with… _Weasley_?"

Hermione flinched slightly but smiled. "Wonderful. We talked things over. It uh… it turns out Irena was, his… roommate's… girlfriend." She blushed slightly at her mistake and Alin nodded.

"Jack… they're still roommates, are they not?" He asked, going back to his desk, rifling through a small stack of papers.

"Yea… how did you know about-"

"Tess."

"Oh." Hermione fidgeted as Alin moved the papers in search of something else.

They were both quiet for what seemed like ages to Hermione. The only sound coming from the shuffling papers. After a while, Alin spoke, startling Hermione slightly. "Dana tells me you did wonders while I was gone. Considering I sprung my leave on you so fast, you really kept the office organized and in one piece. I used to return to a war zone when Ranglish was left in charge. "

"Well I had to get them to hide the few dead bodies before you came back, and replace the burnt curtains, but other than that, everything went smoothly." She smiled at him.

"Mhm. Good, good."

Hermione's face fell slightly.

_Why is he so distracted?_

"Alin are you alright?"

He didn't answer her. Instead he yanked the drawer to his desk open, moved some things around inside it, cursed quietly, and slammed it shut.

"Hm? I'm sorry Hermione, I just have to grab something from someone. I'll be right back. You can sit down if you want."

"Alright." She said as he dashed from the room. She looked around the office again. It took her a few moments to realize that the picture of Alin and his family when he was younger was missing. She walked around his desk to sit down. "_Ow!_" Her knee collided with the slightly ajar drawer on the desk. "Stupid door." She muttered, sitting down, rubbing at her knee. "Must have opened when he slammed the drawer shut."

_I wonder what Alin's so worked up over?_

_Why don't you try asking him?_

_He's not here in case you haven't noticed._

_When he comes back you can ask him… moron._

_Shut up Don't call me a moron._

_I am you._

_Shut up!._

After about five minutes, Hermione got bored. She glanced quickly at the office door and then back at Alin's desk. She could see a small outline of what looked to be books inside the ajar door.

_Maybe I can just take a quick peek and see what Alin keeps in his desk… and maybe there will be a sign of what's bothering him._

She pulled open the cupboard on his desk and took a quick peek in side. Her mouth fell open slightly, her assumption true. The drawer was filled with a large stack of books. She pulled the top one out and read the title.

'_Fierce, Fiery, and Forbidden Pets.'_

She raised an eyebrow and pulled out another book.

'_The Dragons of the South.'_

Hermione looked at the bookshelf across the room, then back at the books. All of the books in his desk were on dragons, and there were enough to fill the empty space on the shelf.

_No wonder Alin knows so much on Dragons. He's got a whole stash of books about them._

_Dana was right then when she said that he was a huge Dragon fan._

_But why is he hiding them in his desk?_

"Ahem." She jumped as Alin walked back in the room, a folder in his hand.

Hermione shoved the book back in her desk. "Alin! I'm so sorry. I sat down, and the door was open a bit… I thought I saw a book… I love books… and I… I know I shouldn't have looked… I mean I… You… I'm sorry."

Alin pursed his lips slightly but didn't say anything. He went back to his desk and Hermione rose quickly, walking over to the bookshelf. After a few minutes of silence, her curiosity got the best of her, yet again.

"Alin… why don't you keep the Dragon Books on the shelf too?"

He started shuffling through papers again, and Hermione had a sudden feeling that he was just looking for something to distract him.

"I mean, you obviously read them. You know so much about Dragons."

His papers stopped for a second but he didn't look up. "Too many memories."

Hermione's mouth opened in an 'o' and she looked down. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring it all up. I wasn't thinking. I should have known that… I'm sorry."

"Not your fault." He collapsed into his chair and put his hands to his face, rubbing at his temples.

_Looks like he finally gave up._

_Gave up what?_

_Whatever he was trying to do… avoid talking… trying to forget something._

"Are you alright Alin? You seem… distracted. And I know my looks aren't _that_ distracting right now." She tried smiling at him but, like her last joke, this one didn't seem to faze him.

Alin stared at his desk.

"Alright. Either something is really bothering you," Hermione said, her voice going serious as she went to stand beside his desk. "Or I'm even worst at telling jokes than I thought I was."

"Hm?" He looked up at her and pulled his hands away from his face, shaking his head slightly. "I'm so sorry Hermione. I'm just a bit distracted today."

"Just a bit?"

He smiled slightly at her.

"My God! It's a smile! Praise Merlin he can still smile! Now, what's bugging you? Anything I can do to help?"

"No, it's ok. Just some things I had to deal with this past week."

"Well it's obviously bugging you, whatever it is." She leaned against the desk, her face serious again. "You want to talk about it."

He looked up at her for a minute, debating with himself again. He looked back down. "No it's ok. I'm ok. Don't worry about it."

"Alin. It's bothering you… and besides, if it's something to do with the office, I'm the Deputy Head. I should know about it. We can share the burden."

"It's a…" He looked down again, blushing slightly. "It's not really about the office. I really am sorry I just left like that… and said it was business. It's just… something came up."

"Oh. Well… it's ok. If something comes up you have to go. You can still talk to me about it. I won't tell a soul."

"I know you won't." He turned left and looked out his window for a few minutes. "I had to go to America for a bit… see my family."

Hermione's brow furrowed even more. "Is everything alright?"

He sighed deeply. "Yea… yea it will be."

Hermione looked at him sadly. He looked tired. Actually… he looked exhausted. She pulled herself up to sit on the edge of the desk. "Alin… why don't we go grab a coffee or a tea down the street, it's been a week since we last got together. We can talk about what's bothering you if you want… it might help to get it off your chest. Then you should go home and get some rest. Take the rest of the day off. And when was the last time you ate?"

Alin chuckled dryly. "A week? But coffee, and maybe a quick bite, sounds great Hermione. I've got a fair bit of work to catch up on, so after coffee and a talk I've got to come back here though."

"No you don't. I can do your papers. You need rest."

"I'm fine."

"No. You're not."

"Yes. I am."

"Alin. You're going home after!"

"But –"

"No."

"I have-"

"No. Home."

"I can't-"

"Home!"

"But I-"

"_**Home!**_"

"Fine!" Hermione got a smug look on her face as Alin crossed his arms. "Bloody stubborn witch."

"I'm very stubborn. One of my favourite personality traits actually."

"I wonder why."

Hermione smiled. "Ah you know you love it."

Alin laughed. "Not all the time." He sad patting her shoulder. "Definitely not when it's directed towards me."

"O, nu. Domnule Rickmond, este el. Charlie"

Alin's face darkened a bit as he looked at his secretary in the door. Hermione turned and looked, slight worry on her face because of Alin's sudden change in attitude. Her face brightened though when she saw the redhead standing beside Carmelia.

"Charlie!"

He stared in the room for a minute, and Carmelia looked between the brunette and the redhead curiously. After a few moments he spoke.

"Your secretary said you were in here Hermione." He watched as she leapt off the side of the desk and made her way over to him. His eyes kept darting to glare at Alin.

"Yea." She kissed him lightly. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see if you wanted to grab some lunch with me."

"Oh." Her face fell and she turned to look at Alin. "We were… we were just going to grab a coffee…"

Charlie's face darkened a bit. Carmelia smirked.

"We… uhh…" She looked at Alin who was returning Charlie's glare.

"I've got work I got to finish anyways Hermione. You go to lunch."

"No. Leave the work on my desk and I'll finish it later. You need to go home and get some rest. We'll grab a coffee another time. _Go home_." She turned to Charlie and smiled. "Just let me grab my coat and bag…" Se paused on her way out of the office. "Wait for me at the elevator."

"Mhm." He narrowed his eyes at Alin, who returned his look with a glare, and left the office. Carmelia's eyes followed him to the elevator and she smirked again as she looked at the retreating brunette.

Hermione grabbed her bags from her room and paused when she reached Dana's desk. "I'm going out for lunch Dana, but can you do me a favour please?"

"Of course Miss!"

"Can you go in Mr. Rickmond's office and make sure he gives you all the files he's supposed to do today. He's not going to want to give them to you, but I want you to make sure you get them, and put them on my desk for later. Once you get the files make sure he goes home. He's had a rough week and needs to get some rest."

"I will do my best Miss."

"Dana, just go in there, and don't take no for an answer. No matter what. He might threaten to fire you but don't worry… I'm the only one who has the power to do that." She sent a smile at the witch in front of her who nodded.

"So files on your desk and him sent home. Anything else."

"Nope. That's all. Just don't take 'No' as an answer Dana. He really needs the rest."

"Of course Miss."

"Thank-you so much Dana. And you can call me Hermione."

"I know Miss."

As Hermione passed Alin's office he came to the door. "By the way Hermione… the Ministry Carnival… did you get the memo?"

"Oh yes. Yes I did. It sounds very interesting. Am I supposed to do anything?"

"No. Just the Department Heads. You can volunteer to do some stuff if you want. But the Department Heads are mandatory participation."

"Well it'll be fun. What are you doing?"

"My own booth… won't say what."

"Why not?"

"I don't need it to get out… some of the employees might bring their friends." He smiled slightly and Hermione quirked an eyebrow.

"You know what… I don't want to know." She turned to look at Charlie who was standing at the elevator glaring daggers at Alin again. Hermione rolled her eyes slightly, still smiling. "Well. I'm going to go now. I'll see you tomorrow… since you're going home now."

"No I'm not."

"Goodbye Alin." She made her way over to Charlie and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him. That seemed to make him forget about Alin. They got in the elevator, and as she saw Dana make her way over to Alin she called back out. "_**HOME!**_"

"Why are you worried so much if he goes home or not?"

"He's had a rough week, he needs rest."

"And you know this how?"

"I can just tell."

Charlie grunted as they stepped out of the elevator.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing."

"Charlie…"

"It's nothing. What would you like to eat?"

Hermione pursed her lips slightly. "Doesn't matter."

"How about we go grab some chicken wings? I haven't had any in over a week."

"Sounds good."

"Great." He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close to his side.

**-------------------------------------------------------------**

**Thanks so much to Blueraven01 for helping with the translations!**

**O, nu. Domnule Rickmond, este el. Charlie Oh no Mr. Rickmond. It's him. Charlie.**

**-------------------------------------------------------------**

**Well… that's that.**

**Ok, I'm sorry, I know I'm a day later than I said in my other story I would be, but I tried. I had to work last night though, and I didn't get home till later. So I'm sorry it's been so long. But I made sure I finished it today, even though I'm supposed to be cleaning because I have a bunch of friends coming over tonight and my moms gonna kill me if she sees this room. :P**

**So, Happy Holidays, and hopefully (fingers crossed) I'll have another update done by the end of the holidays.**

**-----------------------------------------------------------**

**And thanks a MILLION to all my awesome reviewers who have stuck in their through all the updates! I love you guys!**

**Totallypants: I'm SO glad… that makes me feel awesome that you like it that much. :) Yea… it's gonna be hard… also considering that I've never written any before… And yea, I like Jack… he's Charlie's best friend… so I hope you guys like him. What do you mean by a bit of a one???**

**Rose: Thanks, glad you liked it.**

**HotKat144: Aw thanks:) And yea, I like Scotty and Holly…. They're friends.**

**Erytha: Haha… you wanna punch Alin? LOL Don't worry…you can hurt him. And I'm not sure if I want to hurt anyone…**

**Siriusforeva: Thank you!**

**Romdevil: Yea, I have a lot of alerts too right now. :P And deadlines SUCK! But…if I didn't have them, I'd never get anything don because I'll procrastinate…and yea. LOL But thanks so much for the review…and yea, when I first mentioned Jacks character, I had just come back from POTC movie. :P**

**Daydreaming readhead: Conveniently devoured by a random dragon…Irena:??? HAHAHAHA You just made my day!! Yes, she can get on peoples nerves…I know this because I based her on the real life Irena. LOL. (I'll see what I can do) And yes…it does seem like Charlie and Hermione have a million and twelve problems. And more than likely more to come… :P And thank you for the review!**

**Snapehermionelover: Haha…no, I'm still running from the Ministry of Magic. :P And…to some extent… Irena is like this Irena… I just exaggerated her preparation time a bit… but other then that… she's just like her… and she ALWAYS looks at herself in a mirror… or window…or anything else she can get a reflection out of. Thank-you for all the good luck… and don't worry about Scotty, Holly, and Printesa… lol… **

**Iceangel89: Haha… the threesome… you have to read Snapehermionelover's review for Chapter 8. It was funny… lol. And yes, I know, YAY, I'm back:P FINALLY… yea… school, writers block… yeauch! But I hope you update soon too!**

**Harry1Potter's4Girl: Haha… thanks! I'm glad you had something to read…I know that feeling too…I'm waiting for a bunch of updates!**

**Mimi The Witch: Alrighty… one hit for Alin from you. :) I'm glad you liked the update!**

**Fireboltwiccan: Yes… they're back together! YAY! I know I took forever to update, and again, I'm sorry!**

**Wasu: Aww… thanks so much!! I wish I was bloody brilliant with my project… hmm.. but thanks so much!! **

**Sam's Firefly: Yea… as long as your not the one updating while you have a HUGE writers block :P**

**christy86: I'm glad you like it:)**

**ruchie-smooch: Yea I know….I wanted something better too. And there's not really a reason, I just wanted leather couches. :P LOL – And uh… What questions:P**

**Fantastic Fira: LOL… yea, I think Mrs. Weasley would have taught Charlie and Bill a bit of interior decoratig before they left home… maybe. :P And I know, it's not the best chapter, but I felt bad I hadn't written in while…**

**Witchbeth: Thanks. Keep up the reviewing:P**

**whedonist19: Thanks. :) I'm glad you liked it.**

**ErikandChristine: HAHAHA…. LOVE the idea… hm. And YES, you don't update either! SO here's my new rule… UPDATE!!! UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE!!**

**Rupertgrintlovesmeandonlyme: Haha… well… two were birthay parties of my best friends, and one was afamily baby shower… so, I don't really think I could. :P But don't worry…I'm past the writers block…mostly… so now I can update more often:) Thanks for sticking around and updating!**

**CaramelBoost: Haha… yes, I'm going to have fun with Irena and Jack… (Insert evil grin) So many fun possibilities. And yes, soon. Soon enough…Haha… yes, I honestly can't WAIT for Scotty to come back into the pic. (Insert another evil smile.) I like your site, I'm already on it…. But I don't think my post worked the first time, oh well, I'll be Andromeda. :)**

**XLaceMeWithWindx: Thank you so much for reviewing this chapter. And I'm glad to hear my writing has improved, I hope it has. :) Don't worry, I tend to ramble too:P Thanks for the review!**

**Celeste Noir: Aww… thanks so much! Hmm… I'd have to think about the sharing… I mean, I already have to share him with Hermione :P**

**Fahzzyquill: Yup! I'm back! YAY! Glad you liked the update thanks a lot!**

**ladyBlue Wolf: When I first introduced Jack…. I had just seen one of the movies… so yea :P**

**starshine44: I know I know… I feel sooooo bad because it's been a while…I've just been sooooo busy!**

**emliy02: Oh my gosh! Thanks so much! I'm really glad you like the trilogy. I've tried to keep it entertaining! LOL Thanks for reviewing:D**

**blueraven01: Haha…no worries. I like long reviews, and I'm always open to constructive criticism. Yes, I did use an online translator. I know there was bound to be mistakes, some of the sentences I was able to type in and get, but the longer ones I had to make up by translating parts at a time. So I am sorry if it made absolutely no sense. Maybe I should ask you for my translations. :D I do want to make it as realistic as I can. I did a project last year in History (Or possibly Civics :P) and I chose to do it on Romania because I knew I'd end up doing it in my fic. So I know different facts about the weather and that. I'm REALLY glad you like the story…all of them! And no worries, Scotty's coming back REAL soon… and, well… that's going to be fun. :P Thanks for reviewing.**

**-------------------------------------------------------------**

_**COMING UP: Another carnival YAY! I like carnivals, what was Alin up to? And what's bothering him. Also, here comes the FAMILY! WOOHOO!**_


	11. What REALLY Happened?

**PREVIEW TO CHAPTER:**

Hermione groaned. "Yes Charlie! Yes!"

**---------------------------------------------------------**

**Did you miss me?**

**Alright… I honestly planned on updating sooner than this. But the last three weeks of school have been SOOOOOO hectic. With final projects, work, and then Exams this past week… I just haven't had time at all. Then to top it all off, my dog knocked my keyboard down and it broke, so I've had to use the onscreen one… let me tell you… not easy…. Not fun. :P**

**So, I'll get straight to the story then shall I?**

**-------------------------------------------------------------**

**I'm still looking for the fic 'Red Silk' if anyone knows of it. It's a Snape/Hermione M-rated one.**

**--------------------------------------------------------------**

**Disclaimer: I wish….**

**---------------------------------------------------------------**

"Do you have to do that now?"

"Yes."

"Come on… go get ready. We're all gonna go out tonight."

"I really can't Charlie. I have a ton of paper work to do. I'm already behind from the last week. And now with Alin's files…"

"Why did you take his files then if you were so behind?" Charlie grumbled, plopping down on the couch beside her.

"I wasn't _that_ behind. And beside he needed a break."

"The guy just got back from a break."

"It wasn't a break. It was obviously hard on him, whatever it was."

"You know who needs a break Hermione? You need a break." Charlie nuzzled her neck, sucking and nipping at the tender flash. Her quill paused and she closed her eyes.

"Charlie…"

"Hmm?" He mumbled, trailing kisses up to her ear.

"Charlie…stop. I have to get some work done."

"Work later. Us now."

"Charlie no." Even as she said it she felt herself lean towards him more.

"Oh ge' a room would'chya." Jack growled as he came down the stairs, Irena right behind him. Her slim fitting jeans hung on her hips and her sparkled top started a few inches above. Hermione couldn't help but note that, once again, the 'V' of her top hung awfully low.

Charlie growled slightly against her neck then sat up and glared at his smirking friend.

"Wha' goes aroun', comes aroun' mate." Jack said smiling. "Ya did it ta me and Irena, and I told chya it'd come back and bite ya in the arse."

Charlie rolled his eyes and pulled himself up off the couch.

"Haven't you even _started_ to get ready yet?" Irena asked, looking at Hermione puzzled. "I mean, it's almost 8:30."

"I'm not going." The brunette said as she turned back to her stack of papers and picked up her quill again. "I have a lot of work to catch up on."

Irena's mouth hung open. "You're passing up the chance to go party at a club to do… work?"

Hermione looked at her sideways. "Yes. Because if I want to be able to keep going out, I need to keep working, so that I can get paid, and have money to go out."

Irena rolled her eyes. "Suit yourself."

"Come on 'Mione. You can do those some other time. Or give them back to _Rickmond._"

"Charlie. I said I'd do them… so I'm going to do them."

"But do you have to do them tonight?"

"Yes."

"But-"

"Charlie." She looked up at him with a stern look in her eyes. He sighed, knowing that once she made up her mind, even he couldn't change it.

"Fine." He turned to Jack. "We'll see you guys later."

"You can still go Char."

"I'm not going to leave you here Hermione."

She frowned up at him. "You deserve to go have some fun though. I'm just going to be working on this all night. And frankly, if you're here, I doubt I'll get much work done..." She trailed off as a blush crept onto her face. She smiled at him.

He got an awfully proud look on his face before smirking at her.

"Are ya comin' or not lov'r boy?" Jack growled, his arm wrapped around his impatient girlfriend.

Charlie looked back at Hermione, then at the pile of papers in front of her. He frowned and let out a sigh. "Are you sure its ok?"

"Yes."

"And you're positive you don't want to come?"

"Positive."

Charlie sighed again. "Alright. Well… we'll see you when we get back then."

"I'll be here." Her small smile changed to a frown and her brow furrowed. "And I'm sure I'll still be working on these." She motioned at the endless pile of papers in front of her.

"You sure you're ok with me going…?"

"Yes."

"You sure? I really don't mind staying."

"Go have fun Char."

"Are you sure you're alright with staying here alone?"

Hermione groaned. "Yes Charlie! Yes!"

"Because I know you might not want to stay here alone. But if you're sure-"

"YES!" Hermione, Jack, and Irena all cried out at the redhead. He blinked and looked at them all. Hermione was smiling slightly at him, Jack was smirking in a '_you are SO whipped_' sort of way, and Irena looked… well… she looked completely irritated that she had wasted so much time deciding if a guy, who she could care less about right now, wanted to go or not.

"Alright." He turned and walked to the door, which Irena quickly rushed out of, dragging Jack with her. Charlie stopped in the doorframe though and turned back to Hermione smiling. She had turned back to her papers and her hair was falling in her face. She was concentrating hard on the file on the table, chewing on her bottom lip as she pondered her next sentence. She must have sensed his gaze though, because she quickly, and suddenly, looked up.

"Charlie I'm fine. Go."

"Gee Hermione… you'd think you were anxious to get rid of me or something." He chuckled.

"Oh yes… do hurry. I have my other boyfriend coming over in half an hour and I want to change." She said sarcastically, smiling up at him.

Charlie laughed slightly. "Is he cuter than me?"

Hermione bit her lip as if she were truly pondering the question. "I dunno. Hard question. You're both pretty cute."

"Oi! Bloody 'ell Char! Ge' a move on and leave the poor gir' alone!" Jack's voice called from somewhere down the hall.

"Well, I better go. You **sure** you'll be ok?"

Hermione answered by grabbing a pillow off the couch and chucking it at his head as he ducked out the door.

----------------------------------------------

Hermione yawned as the clock rang out for the tenth time. She dropped the hundredth file on the stack to her left.

_The hundredth file already?_

"Ok… maybe that's a BIT of an exaggeration… but it **feels** like it could be the hundredth one."

_Mhm._

"Oh mother of Merlin…will these files **ever** end." Hermione groaned looking at the pile in front of her.

_You know, most people would classify you crazy if they walked in now and saw you talking to yourself._

"Heard." Hermione mumbled after a second, grabbing at another file. "Heard myself."

_Now you're answering yourself. Worst yet, you're correcting your own grammar._

Hermione frowned and shook her head. She needed a coffee, or tea, or… **something**,

_I'm sure Jack's got some alcohol stored here somewhere._

Hermione shook her head again and pulled herself up off the floor. She stretched her stiff muscles out and looked at the clock. "Ugh… this is going to be a long night." She stared at the clock for a few moments, and then looked back at her paperwork. "Well maybe a _small_ break will be ok…"

_You're still talking to yourself._

Hermione started up the spiral staircase. She went to the bedroom she shared with Charlie and pulled out a pair of pyjama bottoms. She slipped out of her skirt and pantyhose and pulled the warm cotton bottoms on. She pulled on one of Charlie's old shirts and fell back on the bed. She glanced around the room.

_I really do love this room. Who knew Charlie had such a good sense of style._

She sat up suddenly, a mischievous smile, which she had inherited from spending so much time around the twins, Harry, and Ron, resting on her face. "I wonder if Jack has any style… or if downstairs was all Charlie's doing." She pushed herself up off the bed and made her way slowly out of the room and across the hall.

_Why are you so scared? No one else is home._

She stopped in the hall and then slowly pushed the door open. His wall's were a dark, deep, blue, and the furniture in his room was a light wood colour. His carpet was a greyish blue, and his ceiling matched almost perfectly, minus the fuzz of the carpet of course. His room was a bit messier than Charlie's was… though when Hermione had arrived, Charlie's corner desk had looked similar to Jack's: papers everywhere. He had a few Quidditch posters hanging on the wall, and there was a poster on the wall of a muggle actor Hermione couldn't quite recognize. It was obviously muggle, because unlike the quidditch posters, whose occupants were zooming around, the man in this picture was staring directly in front of him, a small smile gracing his face.

Hermione started laughing when she saw the hearts drawn around the name 'Zac' at the bottom of the poster, and she quickly concluded that this poster, which looked completely out of place in the wizard's room, was indeed Irena's.

She looked around the room, taking in the few objects, almost lost in the clutter. There was indeed a stash of what looked to be Fire whiskey, sitting in the corner on a shelf. She saw a long black rope in the corner and looked at it for a second wondering what on earth Jack needed such a long rope for. Then she spotted the handcuffs beside it, and, flushing a brilliant shade of red, she backed out of the room quickly. She closed the door and ran back into Charlie's room, where she collapsed onto the bed laughing.

"Oh. My. God." She breathed out. Giggling into her pillow. Suddenly she sat bolt upright. "What was that?" She glanced at the hall and rose slowly from the bed, pulling her wand out from her skirt pocket before placing the material back on the bed and tiptoeing into the hall. She paused as she heard the banging again. Someone was at the door.

As she reached the bottom of the stairs, she looked at the clock on the wall. 10:27…

_Have I really been upstairs that long?_

_Never mind that. The door…_

_Oh, right. Who could it be this late at night?_

She walked over to the door and peeked through the peephole, she could see a retreating figure going down the hall slowly, and she opened the door carefully. The person paused as the lock clicked and turned back to face Hermione as she opened the door a crack. "Alin?"

"Hermione, hey. I'm sorry… I know it's late… I just… do have time to talk?"

She opened the door the rest of the way as her heart rate slowed. "Of course. I was just working on some files… come on in. How did you know I was here?"

"I went to your apartment, but the lady across the hall said you had moved out. So I assumed you'd be here."

"Oh." She felt herself blush slightly. "Right. Do you want some tea? I was just going to make myself some anyways."

"Uh, yea. Please."

She made her way into the kitchen and put the kettle on. As it boiled, she went back into the dining room, only to find Alin still standing near the door.

"You can sit down you know." She laughed, motioning at the couch.

He smiled at her. "Thanks. Is… uh… is Weasley up too?"

She hid her smile at his obvious nervousness. "Yea he's up."

"Oh." His face darkened and he paused, looking at the stairs again.

"Why? Did you want to talk to him?" Hermione asked, her smile slipping onto her face as she tried not to laugh.

"No! No… I'm good thanks. Uh…maybe I should just talk to you tomorrow at the office." He backed slightly towards the door.

Hermione couldn't hold her chuckle in. "Alin, you can stick around. Besides, even if you wanted to talk to Charlie… he's not home." She smiled as relief washed over his face.

"Oh. Ok." He walked slowly over to the couch. "He working tonight?"

"No. He went out with Jack and Irena."

"And you stayed home."

"I have work to do… and I didn't really feel like going out tonight anyways." She added as an afterthought.

Alin nodded at her as he looked at her papers spread out on the coffee table. As the kettle started to hiss, Hermione made her way back to the kitchen. She paused in the door. "Alin…?"

"Yea?" He looked up at her.

"Do, uh… do dragon trainers work nights a lot?"

He studied her face for a moment and flashed her a quick look of sympathy before turning back to the files. He seemed to choose his words carefully before talking. "Nights? They, um…they're bound to work some nights."

"How often?"

"Depends."

"On?"

He looked back at her, and was silent for a minute. "You might want to get that kettle."

She sighed and made her way into the kitchen. Pouring the water into a teapot and placing it, along with two cups, milk, and sugar, on a tray. When she came back out, Alin had opened a new file and was reading through it.

"Uh. Those are my files Sir."

"Uh, actually _ma'am_… the majority of these are mine."

"Correction… they _were_ yours. Now they're mine… because you have too much on your plate."

"Correction. _You _have too much on your plate."

"I do not."

"Yes you do."

"No I don't!" She said, moving aside some papers so that she could set the tray down.

"I rest my case." Alin said as he moved a large stack for her. "You can't even see the coffee table, and you should be out with your _boyfriend_."

Hermione blushed slightly as she plopped down next to him on the couch and snatched the folder out of his hands. "Gimme that."

As she opened the file, he simply grabbed another from her pile.

"Alin…" she warned. He glared at her and placed the file back before pouring them each a cup of tea. He handed her a cup and she put the folder down and tucked her legs under her. "So what's up? I know you didn't just come here to steal my work."

Alin smiled sadly at her. "I was wondering if you… were still interested in listening to me blab about the last week."

Hermione smiled reassuringly at him. "Of course."

Alin smiled for a mere second at her, then turned to the dark window with a frown. "My mom sent me an owl last week. I got it when I got home from our da-…dinner." He rubbed at his neck slightly and Hermione looked down at her lap. "My dad… he, uh… he hasn't been feeling very well lately. My mum wanted me to come home and see him, spend some time with him… and Tesa… I guess she's been really upset about it."

He was quiet for a while, just staring at nothing and sipping his tea. Hermione sipped on hers and waited patiently for him to continue when he was ready.

"We…we were always close, my Dad and me. He was the one who got me interested in Dragons and other magical creatures. We used to go looking for Pixies the first weekend of every month. Never caught any, but we saw plenty. And he was the first one who took me to the Dragon Reserve. I was supposed to go with my school, but he had forgot to sign the form. He felt so bad; he took me out of school the next weekend and took me to the Reserve, pulled a few strings and got me a tour. Then when we moved to America. We looked for any creature we could, and when we had nothing else to do, we would go fishing. And every summer, he would try really hard to get tickets for at least one Quidditch game. We spent so much time together…Tesa too."

Hermione poured him another cup of tea, as he drank it, once again in his own world, she apparated with a 'pop' upstairs, where she threw open Jack's door, summoned a bottle, and reappeared downstairs with another 'pop'. This seamed to startle Alin slightly, but he just handed her back his empty mug as he spotted the fire whiskey.

"I thought you might need some of this. But not too much." She said, tipping a few drops into the mug, then filling the rest up with tea.

"Thanks. You know… my Dad, he was always so strong. It took a lot to break him. Even Tesa, when she was younger, couldn't break him very easily. Tough as nails that man… but he cared about his family, and would have done anything for us."

As Hermione poured them each a cup of 'Fire-tea', she studied Alin's face. His face was blank of all emotion as he stared straight ahead. His eyes were glazed over slightly, but you could still see the darkness behind the veil, the pain he wanted to hide. She handed him his mug and squeezed his hand gently and he turned to look at her.

"I was supposed to go see him almost a month ago. We were going to go fishing together. We haven't had a lot of time to do that lately. Fishing of all things, that's what he wanted to do. No magic, he wouldn't allow it. We would do it the muggle way, and enjoy every second of it. I didn't get a chance to go. Some things came up at the office… Ranglish was causing problems and I wanted to get her out. I told him we'd go next month. But now he's too sick to go…"

"At least he's still here." Hermione said after a brief pause. "You haven't lost him Alin."

"He looks so weak. It's horrible to see. I've never seen him look like that before. Never!" Hermione squeezed his hand tighter and he returned the gesture.

"You know I'm here for you Alin. And I can handle the office perfectly fine too. You should go back an-"

"No. I can't. I can't see him like that. And he doesn't want me to either. My mum made me come back here. Tesa is living on the reserve so she's not seeing him this bad, mum won't let her in his room. I don't know what to do. He would know… but he looks so bad, so sick."

"He'll be fine." Hermione said softly as another 'pop' broke the silence. Neither occupant seemed to hear it though. "I'm here for you."

"I know."

"What the **bloody hell** is going on here?"

Hermione and Alin both jumped and turned to look at a fuming red Charlie as he glared daggers at Alin. Hermione felt Alin loosen his grip on her hand, though he didn't let go completely. She looked at their entwined hands, then at her nowhere-near-being-finished papers and back at Charlie, whose angry gaze was now on her.

_Oh no…this does __**not**__ look good…_

**----------------------------------------------------**

**Well, how'd you like it? I know, kind of depressing ending…at least I think so anyways. Tell me what you all think! Not as long as I would have liked... but no worries, I'll make the next chapter longer. Or at least I'll try. :P**

**Anyone still want to hit Alin?? Last chance to get your names in!!**

**-----------------------------------------------------**

**THANK-YOU to ALL my AWESOME reviewers who keep coming back!! Irena… I better see a review this chapter. I've got lots in here for you to comment on. :P Whips, Zac, cleavage! LOL**

**ANYWAYS!… I love you guys!**

**Romdevil: Why thanks! We had a blast. Very fun. And I literally got maybe… two hours of sleep that night… I think sleepovers should actually be called Lets-stay-up-all-night-and-talk-overs. :P**

**JackMyles: (smiles) :D**

**Sam's Firefly: Haha….yes… the family… D Alin was at home… he just came back now. :P**

**MrsDracoMalfoy14: Carnivals are ALWAYS eventful. :P This one's going to be very fun…Thanks for reviewing!**

**Fireboltwiccan: Yeeeeeeeaaaaaaaa…. Um. Yea. :P They really do need to learn that… don't they…? Hm. WELL, thanks for the review! And I'm glad they've been together for a week… Took em long enough. LOL**

**daydreaming readhead: Haha… yea… the whole 'Headadicts' was really… really bad… But I'm glad you liked the rest:D I tried! Haha…. I like your idea… A 'watch-while-we-sic-a-rabid-dragon-on-Irena' booth. (Sigh) That would be SO awesome! But alas, I can't kill her off… yet. MUAH HA HA! Ok yea, I'm not planning on killing her….yet…. heeheehee. In REAL life maybe… but not in the story. :P**

**Hotkat144: Aww Thank you! I'm really glad you like them!**

**Fantastic Fira: Yea well Alin didn't really cause too much trouble. He was the one who sent her back to Charlie. But even if he HAD… Hermione would still be nice… that's just how she is. Hahaha… who said Charlie's jealous:P Ok, that obvious? Oh well. Yea it is kinda cute…but they would make good friends! Other than the whole… Printesa thing that is. And yea, Alin's family is messed… you have no idea. And YES, they sleep in the same bed. :P And it's ok, I've only been to a handful… and they were mostly just the ride ones. This one is going to be like one you see in all those movies about Highschoolers. Kinda like the one in Grease. :P Haha… Scotty… this will DEFINITELY spice things up. :D And yes, your reviewing is awesome. I love reviews like that:)**

**Mimi The Witch: Haha. You so want to punch him :P I'm glad you're happy with the update! Thanks for reviewing.**

**IceAngel89: Yes yes yes… You and Scotty are coming to town! Woohoo! I don't want to see Charlie upset anymore either. He's been hurt so much :P But again, Scotty hasn't come back yet. :P **

**Fahzzyquill: Yes… what's up with Alin. :D Who knows…oh yea… ME:D Thanks for reviewing!**

**Siriusforeva:D Thanks!**

**Witchbeth: Yea… busy busy busy. :P Thanks for reviewing, and I'm glad you like the story. :)**

**Connie Radcliffe: More curiosity as to what has happened with Alin. :P Thanks for reviewing! I'm really glad you liked it.**

**MarineFlyer86: I'm glad you like it, thanks so much for reviewing!**

**whedonist19: I'm glad you think that. I know it was a pretty long wait, so I wanted it to be good. :) Yes, you're not the only one wondering what's happened… no worries, we'll find out :D Haha… I like Jack. He's another fun character to play with. :P Glad you like him too. Thanks for the review! **

**Life is Like a Novel: See, Jack is cool. :P He's an awesome character! I'm really glad you like the update! And I lik your name. :)**

**. atrum.angelus.forevermore.: I hope it wasn't that long of a wait… but thank you for reviewing! Glad you like the story!**

**Erytha: Haha…. Accepted defeat. Yea right! LOL He would never do that…**

**Wasu: Thank you soooooo much! I'll try to keep my updates regular!!**

**ladyBlue Wolf: Thanks so much for reviewing!!**

**Devatron2000: Thanks so much! And thanks too for the favourites adds:)**

**monkeygirl100: Thanks so much!!!**

**--------------------------------------------------**

_**COMING UP:**__Uh-oh… what's Charlie going to do now? How will Hermione explain this? Well, we know how…WE know what happened. Charlie doesn't. And what happens when the good ole family comes back into the picture… heeheehee… so many questions. And don't forget the carnival!_

**REVIEW :D**


	12. Note from me

Hey everyone!

Wow, it has been WAY too long since I last updated, and I am SO sorry to everyone who I left hanging. Life really just got in the way, and then I got all "I can't do this right now" and then all "oh my gosh I need to reread everything" and then I decided I wanted to re-write/edit everything this summer. And I am almost done! I promise I will get some new chapters up as soon as I finish the re-writes. Soon! Thank you so much to everyone who has stuck by me and who are still following this story! I love you all to death!

I'll be back soon!

-Mrs. Charlie Weasley – that's me!


End file.
